We must recognise racism in order to end it

In the wake of the attack on Indian student Manrajwinder Singh, Australians need to reflect on the continuing scourge of racism and what they can do to end it, writes Chris Raja.

'Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!'

As I was researching the recent bashing of Manrajwinder Singh, a 20-year-old Indian student who has emerged from a coma after he was brutally bashed in the streets of Melbourne, I came across an internet forum titled "Indian students: How to not get bashed in Australia".

Here is a sample:

... best way to not get bashed as an Indian?

DON'T FUCKING COME HERE. You are not welcome. Whites, Asian and islanders all hate you. You come over on a student visa but after you enrol in some dodgy course, your out trying to scam a job. Hint - no one believes you have a Degree in anything.

it is Illegal to sleep 20 to a room and it stinks.

We actually look at bashing Indians as a sport. The majority of the bashings you see on TV are by African refugees or Pacific Islanders.

You have to accept your second class and thinking you have a sense of entitlement is going to get you a smack in the mouth.

Mr Singh is the latest in a long string of Indian students who have been attacked in Australia, and it seems to me that not much is being done about it. Mr Singh was allegedly beaten with a stick and punched in the face, and as a result was taken to the Alfred Hospital and put in an induced coma with serious injuries. This latest attack on an Indian student left me wondering about race relations in Australia.

Racism is not confined to one race - all communities need to join hands to end it. The sad reality is racism can be found in any group in Australia. No group is exempt. The culture of racism in Australia needs to be addressed without targeting one race or community. At a loss to know what to do, I have begun to reflect on my own experience.

My story in Australia is similar to that of so many others - arriving as an Indian migrant child with my family in the mid-1980s to a culture where having a go at people is a social pastime that does not spare anyone. Into this attractive new home I arrived, trying to make a life, trying to fit in, and more importantly, trying not to be different and avoid being the butt of insensitive jokes.

Within three years, between the ages of 12 to 15, I learnt to play Aussie Rules and I learned to talk with an Australian accent. Sure, I encountered racism. Name-calling was the start: Boong, Buddha, Wog, you speak funny. The food you eat smells different. I put up with it and assimilated quick smart, but I saw it take its toll on my parents: the new ways, the aggression, the occasional put down.

Gradually, I have seen Australia grow up, but I think it was partly this ambivalent attitude to race and racism amongst many Australians I met in my teenage years, as well as a sense of curiosity, that took me to the heart of Australia to live and work with the First Australians whose land we live on.

I moved to Alice Springs in 2004 when I was 28. I noticed the place was different. I noticed some people living in conditions similar to that I had seen in India. I saw people without jobs. I saw people with limps. I noticed clusters of people who did nothing. When I asked people why this was the case, it was explained to me: "These people have every chance in the world. Most choose to live the way they do."

As a writer, educator and researcher, I noticed that the levels of literacy in the Northern Territory was much lower than what I had seen in other parts of the country. For a while I worked at the Alice Springs Correction Centre teaching basic literacy and numeracy, and there I saw first hand a jail chock-a-block full of Aboriginal men. What shocked me more was the fact that many of these men could not read, write or count. They could not fill out basic government forms, nor did many know simple addition or subtraction. When I asked why, it was explained to me that they were not native English speakers. I met one man who was doing eight years in jail. When we rolled two dice, he could not add up four plus four - the same number of years he was serving.

"English is their third or fourth language, and an adherence to their old culture holds them back," was the common mantra I heard. It was suggested to me that it is best that "those people get over their culture and language and adapt".

For a while, I believed this to be a solution. After all, it was what I did.

Over time, I noticed other things that were not quite right ... the town camps, the attitudes of some of my friends, the instances of bashings, violence, deaths in custody, poverty, Basic Cards, royalty money, break-ins, stabbings, broken arms, black eyes, yelling, identity checks, the need for more police, drinking, boredom, car accidents, mining, rubbish, smashed glass, empty bottles, suicides, funerals, sadness, court room dramas. A gulf exists, but no one it seemed was acknowledging it. If you spoke up, you were labelled as a troublemaker, a do-gooder, or a whiner.

There were few occasions when society mixed. Mostly people live in segregated areas. If you think I'm exaggerating, try approaching a real estate agent as I did with my Indigenous male friend and ask to inspect houses for rent. In one example, on seeing the client, the real estate agent immediately claimed to not have keys to the house. In Alice Springs, boundaries are rarely crossed.

This place is a microcosm of Australia. It is polarised but gradually even I turned a blind eye to the segregation. After 10 years in Alice Springs, you stop seeing. You stop noticing that the big fish in the little pond syndrome is a dynamic that exists here, and one can become immune to how the rest of the world is seeing things, which can be markedly different.

Racism exists in Alice Springs as it does in the rest of Australia. This is seldom acknowledged and almost never so by those in public office. It is an issue ignored, downplayed and denied. It seems to me when bad things happen in Australia it simply gets "white washed" over.

Since this problem is not recognised, it cannot be solved. And in the absence of its recognition it grows in strength. This debate polarises people. That is not my intention. I hope to bring people together, get things out in the open, and acknowledge we might just have a problem, and that problem might be racism. Silence only drives the issue underground.

Essentially, we should aim to provide all Australians with simple things they can personally do to help end racism and discrimination by making an individual stand that collectively can effectively address the greater challenge.

Let's move forward. Let's end racism. A collective recognition that racism exists in Australia will not weaken us: it will strengthen us. And from this we will grow in stature.

Chris Raja is a writer based in Alice Springs. View his full profile here.

RGR:

08 Jan 2014 7:54:49pm

Discrimination based on race is just one form of discrimination in Australia. Two points:

First, perhaps the most common form of discrimination in Australia is that based on wealth. There is an absurd amount of animosity spewed out (on this site as much as anywhere) towards those who have done well for themselves. We are a society which hates people getting ahead and, rather than making an effort to get ahead ourselves, we blame them for our lives not being quite what we wish they were.

Second, I think the elements of racism have a similar origin in Australia. The vast majority of people are not racist and welcome other people and cultures to our shores. But I believe that those that are the most racist come from the lower socioeconomic groups of our nation. They don't like seeing other races/peoples come here and make a go at getting ahead when they have never got ahead themselves.

Australian's have always had tall poppy syndrome, we are a country consisting of a large number of the population who hate seeing others get ahead. This is responsible for a large amount of discrimination, whether race-based or otherwise. It's sad, but I think that we have to be honest about it.

Mitor the Bold:

08 Jan 2014 8:41:44pm

Stupid, angry people do stupid, angry things. They are responsible for most of the racism, sexual assault, antisocial behaviour, public disturbances, random bashings and so on that we all get blamed for as a society. I'm sure there is a correlation to socioeconomic conditions but I don't think this is a causal link - I think the causal link is between family dysfunction and socioeconomic conditions.

Children in some families and communities grow up thinking that violence is the solution to any problem - that's what their parents showed them. Crime is the solution to poverty - that's what the role models in their communities showed them. Then they grow up and become parents themselves and socialise in beachside suburbs and city centres.

Remember that man on the bus who threatened to stab a French girl just because she was singing a happy French song? He was a stupid, angry person from Stupidville Heights in an outer suburb near you. He'd be just as happy bashing a poor person as a rich one. He's just stupid and angry.

lionel hurst:

08 Jan 2014 9:28:00pm

My late old friend, Manassah Elijah Armstrong, a well known Elder from Central Australia once told me of a meeting near Alice Springs between Prime Minister Whitlam, Treasurer Cairns and indigenous leaders . The main topic of conversation was present (at that time) and future educational needs for Aborigines.Mr. Armstrong, a WW2 veteran and skilled trades-person put forward a proposal to the Federal Government fund the establishment of specific five days a week boarding schools for aboriginal kids, with weekends at home, and the further establishment of specialised aboriginal Universities and combined TAFEs. The Elders wanted separate development for Aborigines for minimum period of 20 years to allow black Australians to bridge the education gap and so be able to compete confidently for employment on all levels in Australia and overseas. They felt this scheme would build self respect and self confidence in the young, keep them away from alcohol and violence (they also wanted an alcohol ban imposed on all native settlements) and build a future where all Australians would have equal opportunities. At that time there was world condemnation of South Africa over its racist apartheid policies. Mr. Armstrong said Whitlam and Cairns were apalled at the proposal and said that if the Federal Government even suggested such a scheme it would be publicly vilified as being like South Africa, and kicked out of office. As it turned out, they were kicked out of office anyway and never did give any consideration to the scheme the aboriginal leaders had thought out so carefully. The result of course is as Chris Raja has so clearly stated - nothing has changed, racism continues and the aboriginal people of the bush are no better off more than 40 years and many politicians later.

Rob Yeldon:

09 Jan 2014 10:50:24am

If the aboriginal elders really believed in this as a well thought out initiative, why have they not used a small part of the millions of dollars given to their development co-operatives over the years to at least start a pilot project to demonstrate the success or otherwise of this scheme?

hph:

08 Jan 2014 9:52:29pm

"First, perhaps the most common form of discrimination in Australia is that based on wealth. There is an absurd amount of animosity spewed out (on this site as much as anywhere) towards those who have done well for themselves. We are a society which hates people getting ahead and, rather than making an effort to get ahead ourselves, we blame them for our lives not being quite what we wish they were."

Wrong, wrong, wrong!

You people still don't get it, do you..?

I really don't care if you have $10 million or $10 billion in your bank account AS LONG AS every human being on this planet has a decent roof over his head and at least one decent meal a day.

What is it with you right-wingers that all you do is keep yourselves busy thinking of jealousy and envy, and trying to seek attention through showing off ..

Your greed for more money & power and your selfishness are depriving other human beings the basic necessities of life.

Bob:

09 Jan 2014 11:23:13am

In what way is working hard, depriving others of the basic neccesities of life?It is the hard working tax payers who are providing those necessities of life.And can I assume you do not live in a house, eat food, wear clothes, drive a car or use electricity. If you do then you are also destroying the environment.

Tom1:

09 Jan 2014 7:46:13am

RGR: I think you are wrong on your comments about wealth, and general animosity towards those who do well. Yes, there is a bit of a tall poppy syndrome, but generally not directed towards those that have earned their wealth by initiative and hard work.

Unearned excessive wealth either by inheritance, or lucky investment in our national resources is justifiably resented. That seems a normal reaction. We are far from an ideal country so far as wealth distribution is concerned, as it does not always go to those of initiative, inventiveness and hard work.

Chris L:

09 Jan 2014 10:08:05am

"There is an absurd amount of animosity spewed out... towards those who have done well for themselves"

Is it any worse than the animosity spewed out towards the less fortunate? How often do we hear how wealthy people work harder than anyone else and that people are poor simply because they're lazy? Views espoused by folk who have no research or evidence to back them up and clearly no idea of how hard people in factories or slaughterhouses or farms work for an income dwarfed by any company board director.

Compare the responses toward government handouts to wealthy people and to people living in poverty. You'll find the animosity to be fairly equivalent, but if you think about it only one of those groups can be justified as needing assistance... and it isn't the wealthy.

Applaudanum:

09 Jan 2014 11:41:28am

"We are a society which hates people getting ahead and, rather than making an effort to get ahead ourselves"

Let's actually see someone get ahead first. Let's see them run a business whilst starting up and paying for all the bits the country that the business directly and indirectly comes into contact with: transport and communication, law and order, health and education, utilities etc. If someone actually does all that and makes a profit on their business, I'll be the first to buy them a beer and greet them with a pat on the back and genuinely express a sentiment of, 'well done, brother!'.

Until then 'getting ahead', as it is called by economic conservatives, is simply sucking at the government teat whilst claiming that any nourishment received is all down to one's own effort and initiative.

Stuffed Olive:

09 Jan 2014 12:17:22pm

I think you've got the wrong end of the stick there. Perceived animosity is not to the wealthy, it is to the Liberal governments who give the wealthy the giant share of tax cuts, tax breaks and the like. No one 'hates' people getting ahead - it's how they do it and what assistance they get and how they are or aren't taxed which annoys the heck out of some of us.

gottabejokin:

AT:

09 Jan 2014 7:18:28am

gott, like way too many posters here, you're fixating on the Indian student mentioned in the article. The article is not about him or the incident, nor is my post. If you're going to try and refute my argument do it correctly.

John Coochey :

08 Jan 2014 6:05:05pm

The reason so many aborigines are illiterate has nothing to do with racism. It is because of poor school attendance! It has been suggested that they be removed from the remote areas and the areas repopulated with Asians or Africans. Not only would school attendance be 100 per cent there would also be agriculture and animal husbandry.

Bob:

get real:

09 Jan 2014 6:38:18am

sorry John,I think you missed the point- the poor education standards amongst 'current' first australians is their lack of appreciation of the importance of education-not lack of opportunity etc. Remember they killed off the real first australians but also still had 40,000 years to develop unimpeded the best education (and health) system in the world.GR

Fletch:

09 Jan 2014 9:22:58am

On what do you base the statement that Australia has the best education and health system in the world?

My guess is that some type of patriotism drives this belief rather than any factual basis. I have experience and knowledge of other education and health systems and do not believe Australia's is the best on either count. Education is only better here if you pay for it, Healthcare is good but is being put under immense strain by population growth.

reaver:

09 Jan 2014 10:54:09am

get real never stated that Australia has the best education and health systems in the world, Fletch. get real stated that Indigenous Australians had 40,000 years in which to create the best education and health systems in the world, had they the wish to do so.

Curious party:

09 Jan 2014 10:09:22am

I'm curious where you got your information about the pre-1788 education and health system 'get real'. There were remarkably few written sources, and the problem with oral sources is they tend to be more prone to mythologising.

lazarus:

09 Jan 2014 10:26:34am

Aboriginals did have a great education and health system until 1788. Then some interlopers came along and decided Australia was theirs because the Aboriginals didn't have a King to negotiate with them. They then bought the scourge of smallpox and other diseases never seen before and took away their land so they could not support & educate their families in the ways that had been successful for 40000 years.

Dean:

08 Jan 2014 6:14:25pm

I think you missed the point of the article. He opened with his personal story of racism to set the scene. Then he moved on to the far greater story of widespread and unrecognised racism against indigenous Australians.

Were you never young mick? Did you never go to a pub or club, or even to a restaurant or caf? near one on a Friday or Saturday night?

Roger:

09 Jan 2014 10:11:44am

The reason aborigines in central Australia suffer so much is because of the long-term consequences of the socialist policies of the left. Where a determined effort is made to use traditional education methods and an expectation of excellence, not failure (as in some excellent schools in north Queensland, for example) aboriginal children flourish. As in so many other areas, leftist theory has condemned countless numbers to second-class lives.

M.S:

08 Jan 2014 6:55:24pm

That denialism, mick, is a very big part of this problem. You should actually identify this as what it is: racism is fuelling these attacks, not alcohol. You don't bash people up when you've had a drink without some sort of intention, you don't shout out slurs because you had too many shots.

We are one of the safest societies in the world, this isn't a problem of law and order. My friends who, study and work here, get all sorts of abuse, verbal or otherwise. Their stories are so frequent they would make your head spin, I've also seen what they have to go through - the bad and the worst.

Lets all identify this issue the right way by actually doing more to not only challenge racism, in our own lives and beyond, but ensure students and migrants are not going to be harmed, as best as we can for us all, and definitely not on the basis of their race. Its really a no-brainer.

Applaudanum:

Why would someone retract a comment made on the Internet while wearing the Ubiquitous Balaclava of Internet Anonymity? They can simply leave it on there and get high on Bravado and faux-Iconoclasism.

The difference between commentary in decades past and commentary now is that you don't have to show any commitment to your words now. In the rare event that you are called to back it up, one simply says that it was irony, sarcasm, fishing for responses to bring out the real racists.

Father Oblivion:

08 Jan 2014 12:23:52pm

Chris Raja wrote "Essentially, we should aim to provide all Australians with simple things they can personally do to help end racism and discrimination by making an individual stand that collectively can effectively address the greater challenge."

Basically, what is needed is LEADERSHIP! Effective Leadership involves leading the throng away from what is simple, easy, and popular towards that which is complicated, difficult, and often unpopular. The opening example in Chris' piece comes as no surprise given the banal dog whistle populism from the likes of Scott Morrison and Cory Bernardi. The fact that John Howard, while PM, never spoke out against the WASPs involved in the Cronulla riots is another case in point.

I fear the momentum has already swung too far in favour of the redneck racists and xenophobes. Both sides of politics in this country participate in the flag waving and motherhood of "anti-racism" but neither side has made a stand that might be seen as leadership on what is a serious issue in a nation founded on migration. That's because they fear a backlash at the ballot box if they do so.

Imagine that.. politicians in Australia in the 21st century are unwilling to take a stand on xenophobia and racism because they will get voted out of office! While that might say something about the personal values and integrity of our politicians, it says a whole lot more about the majority of voters in this country!

St Alfonso:

08 Jan 2014 6:11:45pm

Couldn't agree more. I think we need to think more as a nation about the kind of people that we aspire to be, about where we live and who our neighbours are, and definitely about the folly of being a white enclave in the Asian region of the globe!

APM:

08 Jan 2014 6:49:33pm

The Cronulla riots were caused by countless racist attacks on whites by an ethnic group that is well known for its violence. Because the victims were white the Shire's pleas for action were ignored leading to rebellion. The following revenge attacks by this ethnic group were also far more violent than the Cronulla protest. John Howard also did not speak out against the ethnic group that inflicted most of this violence. I have no idea how the Left can keep using the Cronulla riots as a symbol of white racism. It is racist to imply that only whites are capable of racism and deny other sources of racism in plain sight. Don't airbrush history to suit your ideological agendas.

Curious party:

"That was in response to the beachgoers and locals protesting about the bashing of young man trying to defend a young woman against sexist attacks by a similar gang of Lebanese youths."

What has the nationality of the gang of sexist youths got to do with anything? That is the problem here Terry: you can criticise the criminals for bashing the young guy (although I would be very interested to hear the full story), but the riot became about the ethnicity of the criminals not their actions.

"The persons to blame for the unrest are the polices, local and state authorities who turned a blind eye to years of harassment and abuse, including physical attacks by such youths."

I have been in three situations where I was in physical danger. One was by a group of middle eastern guys, but the other two were by white people. Violence is a problem across the board, it is not restricted to any one 'race'.

Mitor the Bold:

08 Jan 2014 8:13:10pm

"The Cronulla riots were caused by countless racist attacks on whites..."

Really? I recall seeing mobs of drunk white blokes draped in the Aussie flag contorting their hate-filled faces, chasing and punching brown-skinned men and shouting obscenities. I think if there's airbrushing going on you have yours attached to a force 10 gale.

Racism isn't a white-only thing, I agree. But Cronulla was pretty clear - The Sutherland Shire is White Man's Land and they don't like brown skinned people. Or at least, drunk white bogans down the pub don't, and there's plenty of those in Cronulla at the weekend.

jenni:

09 Jan 2014 7:55:29am

And what about the lead up to and actual cause of the Cronula Riots and not to mention the bashings undertaken by a certain ethnic group afterwards?Convenient memories and a one sided story I would say. Undertaken by the usual latte drinking, left wing apologists entertained by their mates in the ABC.In fact this actual story is just another beat up by some discontented, whinging person whose only forum for his rants and raves is the ABC itself.

Bob:

09 Jan 2014 12:35:39pm

Did you not see the white man bashed by the middle eastern mob that night.Was that racist or did they just not like that particular person.The public in Cronulla were reacting to stop harassment of young girls by middle eastern youth because the police would not.The police would not do anything for of fear of being accused of racism.Racism has to be controlled on both sides not just the whites.There was and aboriginal woman on the bus last week who called the police yelling that there were asians and Indians on the bus carrying cocaine.The people were mortified.She then proceeded to verbally abuse an Asian gentleman and his wife presumably because they were Asain. The language was disgraceful. I told her that was being racist. She left the bus.

Ross:

09 Jan 2014 10:31:13am

Monty, it was a sad result from years of intimidation of beachgoers from (predominantly) Lebanese youths. Sexual harassment, assaults, gang behaviour and general harassment of everyone else that uses the Shire's beaches was the major cause.

Actually a 17 year old volunteer life-saver was bashed by a gang and had his nose broken (whilst on duty) for asking a group of these hoods to please consider others.

Poor white man:

08 Jan 2014 9:08:49pm

"I have no idea how the Left can keep using the Cronulla riots as a symbol of white racism."The "Left" APM? I think you gave yourself away there mate."Because the victims were white the Shire's pleas for action were ignored leading to rebellion" Seriously? Racism and partisan in one post. How did you rate Corey's book.

barsnax:

08 Jan 2014 9:45:04pm

You're right. From my memory lifesavers were beaten up by some guys who looked middle eastern. When the police took no action a lot of pissed young Australian lads took it upon themselves to become a lynch mob on Australia Day.

Not a very good look but when your police force and government take no action for fear of being seen as racist then things are bound to get out of hand.

A good lesson for our law enforcement people. Deal with it immediately and publicly so everybody knows where they stand.

Curious party:

"Not a very good look but when your police force and government take no action for fear of being seen as racist then things are bound to get out of hand."

What evidence do you have as to the motivations of the police in 'refusing to take action'? There are plenty of crimes committed by white people that the police take no action about as well.

But if you seem to think that mob justice is alright, how about those of us that think it a travesty that government ministers are allowed to get away with defrauding the tax payer for travel expenses simply by paying them back? Should we marching on Canberra with baseball bats?

Hudson Godfrey:

It doesn't do to indulge in apologetics for the thuggery that occurred during the Cronulla riots.

Nor is it sensible to presume ethnic minorities are lacking in their own fair share of racist attitudes.

What needs to be considered however is that the majority in a democracy, and perhaps in a marketplace of ideas, control the balance of whether tolerant or bigoted attitudes become prevalent within this society. So it is natural, and indeed necessary, that we would identify white Australian outliers to come in for particular criticism when they regress to bigotry, or worse resort to violence. Knowing as we do that they're far from ignorant only adds to the fact that society at large condones neither of those transgressions.

The shape of who represses whom, and the bulk of social advantage so favours white Australians that we struggle to find reasons why they'd truly feel threatened by migrant minorities. Apart from isolated clashes of gangs who usually only meet with violence at the hands of groups who're as blatantly looking for trouble as they are, there is very little if any real antagonism between the groups within a wider context. Most of us in fact tend to get on with one another.

So where we'd like to think we can educate and moderate the newcomer or the disadvantaged member of a minority, finding similar reasons for sympathy with white Australian thuggery isn't seriously on most people's radar. Nor in my opinion should it be.

Jimmy:

Terry:

09 Jan 2014 11:55:01am

Probably to avoid being charged with offences.

A more interesting question: why do you find it necessary to use the word "white"? And what gangs were they leading? The only gangs mentioned in relation to Cronulla were the Middle Eastern gangs that invaded the suburb while the police, no doubt exhausted from arresting "white youths", stood by and watched.

Another interesting question: Why were those youths (of whatever colour) who started the whole thing by harassing and attacking beach goers never charged with anything?

Fred:

08 Jan 2014 12:24:36pm

Yes, let's end racism.

Let's also end unsustainable levels of mass migration. The degree of environmental degradation, social dislocation, overcrowding of our cities and wage pressure that the current levels of mass migration to Australia cause are not things we need at this point in time. Most Australians know this, unfortunately the Liberal and Labor parties won't listen to the people on this issue. They only listen to the free marketeers and politically correct globalists.

Scott:

We have an enormous country with bountiful resources and very few people.

The sole problem we have is a idiotic tendency to be selfish bastards living solely in the 'now' without any thought of the future.

Back when we had mass migration from Europe such as the 10 pound poms we had governments that anticipated this and built the required houses, roads, schools and community facilities new migrants required.

These days we have allowed high levels of migration to fill needed jobs and support our economy but the government hasn't done jack all with building the community infrastructure to support and integrate them!

This is completely a failure of government - NOT immigration. And is a massive failure in the Australian voters to push for and elect governments who can plan and build things over nit picking spineless twerps who can only give away tax cuts and try to extract government (and themselves) from all responsibilities by selling them off to the private sector or repealing them away.

APM:

08 Jan 2014 7:19:18pm

It is easy to identify the immigrant groups who are far more likely to be involved in racist attacks. They are usually the same groups that disproportionally fill our prisons and contains a large subset that is responsible for terrorism, religious extremism, asylum seeking, and social division (eg Cronulla riots). All these immigrant groups are heavily dependent on welfare and are a net drain on the Australian economy.

Pete of WA:

08 Jan 2014 7:51:46pm

APM- Sadly, I think your comments are spot on and I do think it's way past the time that our 'leaders' started to see what their immigration policies are doing and the single biggest problem is coming from where our immigrants are coming from and how far too many of them are getting here.

lazarus:

09 Jan 2014 11:10:27am

From the 1800's to the 1940's it was the yellow peril who were going to come to Australia and defile our good white women. In the 50's & 60's the Greeks, Italians and Eastern Europeans were going to form ghettos and rape and kill good White Anglo-Saxon women, then it was the Vietnamese in the 70's & 80's. From the early 90's the bogey man was the Muslim and still they are out there forming ghettos and raping and killing "our women".

The same play with different baddies, updated as appropriate by insecure, insular white men.

Trev:

08 Jan 2014 8:07:03pm

Scott, we have an enormous problem with fools who advocate mass migration to one of the driest nations on earth. We have an enormous problem with fools who advocate migration of people who hate our collective guts, who hate personal freedom for women, who hate homosexuality, who hate to work, who love being on the public tit.The unemployment levels for people of this ilk are about 86%, last count, so don't blame young aussies if you are one of the fools responsible for the problem.

APM:

09 Jan 2014 8:26:44am

yes, the folly of progressives importing people who are hostile to the whole progressive project except to subvert it for their own ends. I have been challenged the Left to explain this irrationality many times here and never had a response.

Curious party:

09 Jan 2014 10:26:04am

I don't suppose you would like to cite your references for that unemployment figure would you Trev? I didn't think so. 94% of conservatives refuse to cite references when asked (hey that making up statistics thing is fun!).

reaver:

09 Jan 2014 11:22:27am

If the land is on leasehold to mining companies and farmers then it is not owned by Aboriginal People, Original Aussie. Leasehold exists over Crown land not over the 20% of Australia that is owned by Indigenous peoples.

Felix:

barsnax:

Fred I always laugh when I read these type of articles. "Let's end racism" "Australia is a racist country"

What a load of cobblers. Forget lefty politics in the ABC, these are the type of articles that should get its funding cut.

I don't know who Mr Raja is but I would have thought coming here as a migrant child would be a lot better than living in a country where women are second class citizens, a caste system lives and breathes and gang rape of women is common place.

Until India and it's expats can deal with the discrimination and violence in its own country, how dare they condemn Australia.

dubious the third:

09 Jan 2014 8:38:52am

Let's face it. The whole invasion and subsequent development of what is now called Australia was based on race.Because this is rarely discussed, the racist assumptions underpinning the dominant culture go on and on.The political class seek re-election so do not want to tackle the cultural norms of the racist populace, nor may I add, wish to do anything but token gestures and forced assimilation of those whose lands this 'Australia' is built on.Time to decolonise

Father Oblivion:

09 Jan 2014 11:58:49am

"Yes, let's end racism.

Let's also end unsustainable levels of mass migration. "

I see.. your solution to racism is to remove the targets of racism, or in other words get rid of the people who are "not like us". We used to have a White Australia Policy but even then the targets were Dings, Krauts, and Dagos...

OUB :

Mitor the Bold:

08 Jan 2014 8:28:33pm

Racism is a problem Australia has to deal with, not a problem white people have to deal with. The author mentioned that even he went along with the generalised racism against Aborigines in spite of the fact that he had himself experienced this as a young Indian immigrant.

People from every race and culture have racist inclinations - in a migrant country like Australia it's often the latest wave that gets it in the neck from the one prior. In Pauline Hanson's time (not that long ago) it was all about Vietnamese people - we don't hear much about that any more, these days it's all Muslims and Indian students.

I saw an interesting piece on the BBC the other day in some town in England where Roma people from Europe were being blamed for litter on the streets, antisocial behaviour and so on. The people doing the blaming were dressed in traditional Pakistani clothing with long beards etc. The women wore Hijabs. They said it's not the same neighbourhood any more, not like the good old days, these new arrivals just don't get the British way of life.

gottabejokin:

08 Jan 2014 8:35:06pm

I have always mixed with other nationalities without a problem, most of my friends as well, it is what we were raised like from the 50's with all the italians and greeks. We were solid mates, didnt matter where you came from, problem now is a lot of those that arrived after we went multicultural have decided that they want to have the final say. When we start to have gangs of different nationalities picking on each other it doesnt bode well for anyone. There will always be racism but Australia is no where near as racist as other countries. Try being non muslim in the middle east, or lower caste/christian in india, they are a lot worse than here, even aboriginals are no better with their attitudes, they have the oppertunity to improve their lives if they want to but prefer to be the "victims"

Chris L:

09 Jan 2014 11:04:46am

People resented the Italians and the Greeks in the 50's. We called them wogs and made them feel very unwelcome. Now we cannot imagine Australia without them. Same thing later with Asian immigration, again they became a part of our nation's character and we're better off for it. Now we're seeing more people from the Middle East and from India.

Every time this is pointed out people say "this time it's different", just like it was different last time and the time before that.

barsnax:

08 Jan 2014 8:45:27pm

Who is we AT and to what have you been subjected to?Australia is a wonderful place to live but if us Anglos are giving you a hard time, there are many more avenues to deal with the problem than most of the other countries in the world. Remember where you live.

shyfrog:

08 Jan 2014 5:59:16pm

As you just described racism for what it is:" if you're not like me I don't like you" you do understand what racism is. It's every where in the western world as well as the developing one . It's not just white versus black or Asian or Arabs, it's a tribal thing , deep in our reptilian brain. I come from France it's another racist country like Australia. in my travels I have come across people from the same country ( Indonesia) being racist towards other Indonesians because they were from another island . it will take a long time, a lot of education, probably the end of religions as well as this is another great " us against them" topic.Not in my life time I'm afraid !

Trev:

08 Jan 2014 8:12:03pm

Shyfrog, "I come from France, its another racist country." Why is France racist in your eyes? Is it because the same illegals that tarnish this once great land have destroyed large parts of Europe, including France. That over 1000 cars were set alight over new year in France, mainly by disaffected muslim youth.That there are now no go areas for the coppers, if they have to go in they go in massive force, the only way to guarantee their safety. Enoch Powell was vilified for his comments and they have been proved right.

Curious party:

09 Jan 2014 10:30:03am

It depends on what the sledging entailed. If the sledging from either side was about the colour of their skin or about their important cultural practices then it was racist. If he was criticising their performance and they were returning with insults about his heritage, then he had every right to complain.

M.S:

08 Jan 2014 7:48:35pm

You actually do understand racism, you just don't understand the bigger picture of whose getting the worst end of it - the people and their families who live their lives with the threat of being physically assaulted, harassed, denied work and opportunities, not to mention walking around with that stigma. That's happening everyday, and it happens as a majority on minority problem. That's statistical and personal reality, they just deal with it, but we can make things better.

What you've seen isn't justified in any way, that's precisely why this is a problem that needs to be dealt with on a grassroots level. But Chris is pointing out the bigger problem.

Jimmy:

09 Jan 2014 6:04:30am

"My good wife who is Caucasian was verbally abused by two indigenous women who referred to her as a white .... and when she responded she was accused of being racist."

What are we supposed to infer from this comment ? Is it that aborigional people are racist without provocation ? If your point is that people as individuals wish to be racist without provocation then no one would understand the rediculousness of the attack . If not then your unfortunate incident is an isolated event , and as such the race of your wife and the attackers are completely irrelevant (Except to say that they are of different race) In turn this makes your comment only relevant to the point of the article because it in itself is an example of racism . But that could be your point , in which case , quite clever .

Graveyard_Duck:

08 Jan 2014 12:32:15pm

Given that many of the recent attacks on Indian students in Australia have been committed by African and Middle Eastern (Lebanese Muslim) youths, the uncomfortable lesson for the politically correct do-gooder brigade is that Australia SHOULD NOT be simply letting in anybody (refugee or otherwise) from anywhere.

What do we think is going to happen when we let in people from some of the most violent, sexist, racist, homophobic, conservative countries on Earth?

Let's have MORE immigration from Europe, America, Asia, and India, and LESS from the Middle East and Africa...at least until things genuinely improve in those two regions. If I'm wrong about this, and there has actually been a comparable spate of attacks on foreigners committed by Indian and Asian migrants, then please correct me. IF I'm wrong...

I want to know that the Indian and Asian students and workers who come here and actually contribute to our society will be safe from the cowardly attacks of African and Middle Eastern youths who just want to spread violence and hatred.

NikMak:

racism (plural racisms)1.The belief that each race has distinct and intrinsic attributes.2.The belief that one race is superior to all others.3.Prejudice or discrimination based upon race.

As much as it is impolite to call people names or label them, much of what you just wrote qualifies as racism as it is defined above. You are making assumptions about whole communities of people based on stereotypes, and a broad, simplistic reading of culture and history. You have no real evidence or data to support the notion that African and middle-eastern people are inherently more dangerous than others - instead you rely on anecdotal evidence, on common myths, and the "everyone knows its true" effect.

There may very well be large numbers of African and Middle Eastern youth gangs, but the attempt to link their criminality to their skin colour, and to some extent their culture, is a simplistic and ignorant exercise. It ignores socio-economic factors, the prolonged feeling of "otherness" they may have endured, and an inherent bias on the part of law enforcement. moreover you paint your picture of these "youth gangs" in isolation, ignoring the percentage of total petty crime they might represent.

And that's the point. Real, insidious racism is about generalisations and assumptions. It doesn't have to be loud and unreasonable; it often isn't. It's the persistent niggling thoughts we indulge, like "that group of African kids are unruly: they must be a gang", or "this Indian cabbie is probably trying to rip me off: afterall that is what they do in their country", or even "Not sure if I should trust that old white guy: all of those people are racist aren't they?".

Curious party:

09 Jan 2014 8:38:17am

Race is a human construct, not a genetic one, so it makes no sense to talk about race at all Terry. However, in practical terms when we talk about racism we are talking about discrimination based on the cultural background of the people. Its just that 'culturalism' doesn't sound as punchy.

Your refutation is just sophistry Terry. We know well that the OP was being a culturalist/racist/whatever you want to call it. We know that he was unfairly generalising about the given moral attributes of all people from certain cultural backgrounds. That is what we object to.

Terry:

09 Jan 2014 10:15:04am

It is not sophistry to point out the difference between race and culture. Sophistry is a false argument, usually one meant to deceive.

If the original poster had been ascribing certain traits to individuals based on their belonging to a certain "race", that would have been racism. I took from his post, however, that he objected to certain behaviours that are part of certain cultures.

They are totally different. The former is to unfairly give individuals characteristics based on birth. The latter is to give individuals characteristics based on the culture that they live by.

If I complain about alcohol fuelled violence at King's Cross, I am not being racist, I am criticising Australian culture.

It has nothing to do with "moral attributes" - it is do with behaviour.

I object to female genital mutilation as carried out by certain cultures: does that make me a racist? I have no doubt some of those carrying out this crime are behaving morally by their own standards. But that is the point: their culture has different moral signposts than mine. I refuse to allow such practices in my own country. Is that too racist?

Maybe cultural superiority, but that is another argument. (I have plenty of things about Australian culture I'd like to change).

Graveyard_Duck:

08 Jan 2014 8:12:20pm

Ahh, the usual reaction. Call me a "racist" because you don't have any kind of decent argument to put forward.

Of course, a second reading of my post would confirm that I never said anybody was more likely to commit assaults because of their race. I DID however discuss the importance of the cultural (and in some case religious) values that certain groups bring with them to Australia. For instance, Australia has had virtually no problem assimilating all the Buddhists and other South East Asians who have moved here. However, the Muslim immigrants we have accepted (more specifically those from the Middle East) are a different matter.

And please don't say I'm making this up. As reported in the Melbourne Age in 2012: "SUDANESE and Somali-born Victorians are about five times more likely to commit crimes than the wider community". Meanwhile, Lebanese Australians are the second highest overrepresented group of immigrants in Australia's prison system (behind Vietnamese Australians).

That the difference between you and I though, isn't it? I like to base my views on facts, unpleasant though they may be. Meanwhile, all you do is try and tar me with the old fashioned "raaacist" attack.

Curious party:

You call people names based on their cultural background and then you object to people calling you names based on your comments?

Do those newspaper reports give you any statistics about the relative wealth of those Sudanese and Somali refugees? It isn't telling the full story if it isn't.

But even still, it is natural to expect that people who come from traumatic backgrounds will carry with them a legacy of that trauma. Your attitude seems to be 'Ehh, stuff 'em. Its not my problem Jack.' However, many people believe have some basic human empathy and want to help people who have been through hard times.

Graveyard_Duck:

09 Jan 2014 12:15:54pm

Wait a minute, when did I call anyone names based on their cultural background? What are you going on about?

Re: the wealth level of these particular refugees...I fail to see what that has to do concerning why they would (for example) gang bash an Indian student and put him in a coma. And what about the wealth levels of other people such as asian and indian migrants who live in the same areas as these attackers, but yet who someohow manage to refrain from committing so many assaults and robberies?

"But even still, it is natural to expect that people who come from traumatic backgrounds will carry with them a legacy of that trauma..."

Agreed. That's why Australia probably isn't the ideal place to house (for example) former child soldiers or relatives of jihadists. And yes, I DO empathy...for all those bashed Indian and Asian students. It seems that you're quite happy for them to continue to be assaulted and possibly killed, just as long as their African and Lebanese/Middle Eastern attackers are continually protected.

NikMak:

I did put forward an argument though - I said don't base your arguments on generalisations and assumptions, because that's basically what "racism" is as defined in the dictionary.

That doesn't mean your a "racist" (although I admit my abrupt intro may have seemed like an attack of some kind), because that's as reductive as labels and generalisations based on skin colour and culture. I simply think that everyone over relies on assumptions and stereotypes in their thinking, and that's not really getting us anywhere.

And you say you have some evidence from a newspaper article - that's great, that's the start of arguing from a basis of fact. But you're still not being fair in your assessment, because that's just one report in one newspaper, and my guess would be that it draws no particular conclusions based on its statistics either. Why are Sudanese and Somali born men/boys (I'm assuming here) five times more likely to commit crimes that other people in our country? Is this a uniform problem across the whole country, or just in Victoria? what are the extenuating facts, like age and environment? What reason are these men/boys giving for committing these crimes?

That is my point. Don't just say, "ooh all those black kids are committing more crimes than the white kids, it must be their regressive culture". Dig a little deeper.

Trev:

08 Jan 2014 8:16:43pm

"There may very well be large numbers of African and Middle Eastern youth gangs, but the attempt to link their criminality to their skin colour, and to some extent their culture, is a simplistic and ignorant exercise."

Please can I have some of what you are smoking?

Ok, Einstein, if its not them gathering together in packs of the same skin colour that causes them to attack whites, if its not racism from them, what the hell is it.You are obviously blind to the reality that surrounds you, but even that does not excuse the stupidity of your post.

Curious party:

09 Jan 2014 10:38:02am

Its really obvious Trev. The reason why we see gangs of African and Middle Eastern youths, some of whom commit crimes is because of their relative poverty compared to the rest of the country. Shared hardship due to scarcity of resources is likely to heighten the connection within an in-group (ie their own cultural groups) and further the disconnection with out-groups (ie other cultural groups).

Its why we tend to see that poor white people are more often racist compared with better-off white people: they know they aren't getting enough, and nor are the people around them, so they look for someone to blame (and the Murdoch rags give them fuel for the fire in feeding them misinformation about the amount of welfare that refugees etc receive).

Paul Pott:

08 Jan 2014 6:42:05pm

"we let in people from some of the most violent, sexist, racist, homophobic, conservative countries". I came here in 1971 from Northern Ireland and that could be a description of what I left.According to the last census I think I saw that white people made up over 90% of the population of Australia, a significant proportion anyway. So you would imagine that as most human attitudes tend to be spread equally among all populations, including racism, that most racist attacks are committed by whites.So to generalise that Africans and Middle Easteners are more violent than anyone else is just wrong.I'll probably be called some names now by the infantile school playground posters who inhabit these forums.

Luke:

09 Jan 2014 9:58:25am

And from the start of WW2 till very recently the biggest association of suicide bombers was with the Japanese Kamikaze, but this has now faded. Funny how ideas and image is flexible. Then there are things like the suicidal charge of the Light Brigade (English), The Spartan concept of coming home with or on your shield ( Greek), the Roman ideal of falling on your sword (Italian). The Hussarias who charged Nazi tanks on Horseback and were eliminated almost to a man ( Polish) gosh the list goes on.....

Curious party:

09 Jan 2014 10:53:14am

Simplistic and trite as per usual Terry.

The shared human attributes there are anger, frustration and violence. We all have a tendency towards anger and violence when we are frustrated (there are white people in prison for violent crimes as well you know). The reason that most of the suicide bombers come from middle eastern/muslim backgrounds is not predominantly a cultural thing but rather it is predominantly an economic and political thing. Look at the levels of poverty in those countries, and look at the ways that the poor are misused by those in power. In many of these countries there is little state-run education or welfare available, and so poor people turn to the people who give it to them: the terrorist organisations. If the governments of the countries provided basic services to these people (or in the case of Israel - stopped actively repressing them) then there would be fewer people going to the madrassas. Less frustration caused by poverty, less anger and less violence. Simple really.

I would also say that the glorifying violence thing that you talk about is more of a subcultural thing than a cultural thing. The vast majority of Muslims are just living their lives the best way they can.

And given their histories, you can really not claim that Islam is a religion of violence overall unless you acknowledge that the same holds true for Christianity (the Crusades, the conversion of Spain, the Inquisition, the Cathar heresy etc etc) and Judaism (check out the Old Testament, and check out the hardliners currently in Israel). Fundamentalism is a problem, but it is not a problem restricted to Islam. Do you remember the attacks on abortion centres by Christians in the US? What about the KKK? Westboro Baptist (not violent, but certainly spewing some horrible hate)?

The main problem is poverty. Poverty breeds desperation which drives fundamentalism.

Bev:

08 Jan 2014 12:33:00pm

"The culture of racism in Australia needs to be addressed without targeting one race or community"

That is part probably a big part. Every time this subject comes up the finger is pointed squarely at white Anglo Saxons. To even try to point out that racism exists in other groups results in you being called racist to shut you up. Some have a vested interest in blaming those of Anglo Saxon decent for every ill even going as far as saying because they are a majority they cannot be subject to racism.

Algernon:

08 Jan 2014 6:16:42pm

Bev you remind me of the old dears that have memories of the good old days when the shops in my suburb were the place to shop. All through rose coloured glasses of course. 25 years ago you could have fired a gun down the main street at three in the afternoon on any day and be guaranteed of not hitting anyone. Nowadays the Chinese and Koreans own most the shops and the place buzzes and there are plenty of "anglo-saxons" in the mix as well. Even at 10 at night there are people about and the place is safe to walk.

Terry:

There are many people who dream of quiet drowsy streets, of peace and tranquillity. Who are content to think and muse and contemplate.

That you do not is fine. Have your noisy bustling streets that never rest, never calm down. Keep moving, never stop.

But please don't denigrate those that have priorities above shopping, eating and drinking.

25 years ago I could go into the centre of the city at night without being attacked by ethnic gangs. Call me old fashioned, but I wish my kids could do the same.

Surely that is not too much to ask?

For most of my life, a person's race was not very important. Now it is vital to know if the person you are dealing with identifies as Aboriginal, as you can inadvertently break the law if you treat them in the same way as you would any other person.

You cannot refuse to speak to a drunk without being subjected to a torrent of filth and abuse and being accused of racism. The police cannot assist: the perpetrators have their own legal service which provides endless assistance.

Should you query preference being given to someone else on the basis of race, you can be hauled into the courts and fined.

Curious party:

"There are many people who dream of quiet drowsy streets, of peace and tranquillity"

So move to the country then.

"25 years ago I could go into the centre of the city at night without being attacked by ethnic gangs. Call me old fashioned, but I wish my kids could do the same."

They can. I do regularly.

"For most of my life, a person's race was not very important."

If you were white. If you were indigenous (and obviously indigenous) then you were liable to have your kids taken away from you. If you were from the Mediterranean area then you were a wog or a spic etc. If you were from Asia then you were allowed to run a Chinese restaurant or a grocery. How many non-white people did you or your friends date when you were growing up Terry?

"You cannot refuse to speak to a drunk without being subjected to a torrent of filth and abuse and being accused of racism."

Actually, its more like you cannot refuse to listen to a torrent of filth and racism being spewed by a white person. But then again, we've always had to put up with drunken tirades - alcohol does that to people.

You really should get out more Terry. Its actually not as scary as the media would have you believe.

Pop:

08 Jan 2014 6:35:42pm

So true Bev, so many white anglo saxon's are subject to racial abuse, but the do gooders are doing a great job giving us a guilt trip as the guilty ones so not to act on it. There is certain minority of people (PC brigade, academic intellectuals) who feel they can tell us and judge us for the way we live our very simple lives.

Curious party:

Darkless:

08 Jan 2014 6:38:17pm

Bev, you have hit the nail on the head. Racism in my experience only refers to white Anglos, I get abused by a minority and if I respond, I am the one that is racist. The minority abusing me is just paying me back for all the injustices in world.

This article is well written and credit to Chris as he is trying to define racism (if that is really the right word) to all social groups. I have lived and worked in areas like Halls Creek, Balga, Alice, Walgett and many others. I understand what you are getting atChris. But I feel the solution lies not with us lowering the bar, but the minority groups having to lift theirs, how else can they function a modern society self-sufficiently?

Adelaide Rose:

09 Jan 2014 1:53:02am

I hate to break it to you but White Australians need to lift their game as much, if not more than 'minorities", When people wear "F*ck of we're Full" T-shirts or continually re-post Facebook and other memes that imply that somehow asylum seekers are reaping the Centrelink mother load as our pensioners starve, or our political leaders making mileage out of saying that the whereabouts of asylum seekers who are released into the community need to be reported to the police (like they're common criminals and not people who have just been subjected to rather stringent processing). Not to mention our politicians having to suspend the Racial Discrimination Act because their poorly designed, poorly implemented Intervention broke so many Racial Discrimination laws and it goes on and on.There is no doubt that every single group in Australia has a racist element, but maybe if we want Minorities to lift their bar, we should at least try and set a good example first.

james Murphy:

09 Jan 2014 10:11:37am

Who do you mean by 'we'?

Surely, in a sane world, 'we' is absolutely everyone, not any one particular group of humans who, for whatever reasons, feel more closely associated to some humans than they do to other humans, or indeed, any particular group of humans who dislike other groups of humans for a myriad of reasons they've decided upon...

Surely you're not suggesting that one particular group (presumably white australians) need to 'set a good example first' because without such an example, minority groups just won't be capable of doing it themselves? Lets go to Malaysia too, shall we, and 'set a good example first', because then, once Malaysia has seen how white people do it, then maybe non-muslim malaysians will suddenly start getting paid the same as muslim malaysians for doing the same job, and will have the same opportunities for education, and promotion, and other expressions of equality?

I know racism (and other forms of "my group is better than your group") is alive and well in Australia, as it is in every country, but i think it's a responsibility to be shared equally - I'd like to think we can, every single one of us humans, do something about it, even something small, if we try.

Oztaff:

09 Jan 2014 6:27:04am

Yes, in their ignorance they can blame the Anglo Saxons then us Welsh, Scots and Irish who are Celts are blameless. 'Anglo Saxons' is an euphemism for white British descendants and this debate is about colour, most of Australians are white, ergo Australians are racists as only whites can be racists. There is also the hint that those of original British descent are the worst racists which lets the white Europeans off the hook including all those friendly people from the Balkans who settled here. Finally there is resentment against the establishment, those awful British who raped the country and developed it. Personally I rejoice in the vibrancy that is Australia and the positive people from many ethnic groups who are contributing to this. Personally, like most Australians I know, I don't care about a person's skin colour or where he/she's from as long as they're decent human beings who don't corrupt their workplace or the system.

Dave:

08 Jan 2014 12:38:11pm

Very interesting article. You've certainly seen some of the worst of Australian racism. Most Australians know nothing of the images your article paints, and they're generally not keen to improve their knowledge.

Dave:

08 Jan 2014 11:17:43pm

Good work Dazza, I'm pleased you avoid being personally racist in your own immediate environment. That's certainly the first step. But are you really solving a problem, or just not contributing to it and letting it go on anyway?

I was referring to both the current state of play with indigenous overrepresentation in prisons, their overrepresentation among the illiterate or innumerate and their overrepresentation in some terrible health statistics and the history of entrenched legal and institutional racism which has gotten us here.

My point is that both of these issues are out-of-sight-out-of-mind for most non-indigenous Australians and we're generally happy to keep it that way. The average Australian, like yourself, knows that they don't personally make judgements based on skin colour. So they're not racist. But they'll happily discuss their concerns about the amount of money the government throws at the Aborigines when the topic of politics comes up at a barbecue.

I'm not, in that statement, trying to defend the 'throw money at the problem and it might go away' attitude of some governments. The point I'm making is that many, many Australians, while never being personally racist in their own lives, are pretty happy with the status quo and are not interested in the 'black armband' view of history which happens to be the factually correct view in many cases.

Articles like this are a good step in trying to broaden our education about the uglier features of our great country.

Curious party:

09 Jan 2014 11:16:44am

"But are you really solving a problem, or just not contributing to it and letting it go on anyway?"

Is it Dazza's responsibility to solve the problem? As long as he is not making it worse then I would say he is doing his part - after all, if everyone did the same as him then there wouldn't be a problem.

Re the overrepresentation of indigenous in prisons: Are they being imprisoned without committing crimes? If the indigenous population are overrepresented in offending rates then of course they will be overrepresented in crime rates.

Re illiteracy and health rates: I believe that a big part of the problem is the generational mistrust the indigenous population seem to have towards the non-indigenous population. This means that a health professional or an educator has a great deal of difficulty helping an indigenous person unless they themselves are indigenous. Quite obviously, this will limit their access to services as the number of indigenous people skilled enough to provide those services is still quite small. (There are also cultural issues within the indigenous community - eg a Koori may not be able to provide services in a Murri (sp?) community.)

I understand why the mistrust of the white man exists. I understand that a lot of the atrocities committed by the white man were under the guise of helping the indigenous people. But just like with any trauma, at some point you have to stop generalising about the perpetrators (To use the example of an assault, it is not healthy to develop an attitude of fear about a whole group of people that share characteristics with your attacker.). This is a process that takes time, and it will take some goodwill by the white man, and some faith by indigenous communities for it to change. But it won't happen at all for as long as we keep bending over backwards to provide services for indigenous by indigenous. If nothing else, that sounds an awful lot like segregation to me, and segregation is no way to reforge trust.

reaver:

09 Jan 2014 11:50:38am

Let's examine your examples, Dave.

Indigenous overrepresentation in prisons: Can you supply any evidence that Indigenous Australians are being imprisoned for crimes that they didn't commit? If not then you're really complaining that they're being imprisoned for crimes that they did in fact commit. If they committed the crimes for which they're imprisoned then they deserve to be imprisoned.

Their overrepresentation among the illiterate or innumerate: The state and territory governments supply schooling. A vast number of Indigenous children don't make use of this service due to parental negligence in the matter. Who's fault is this other than the parents?

Their overrepresentation in some terrible health statistics: The Indigenous communities in the middle of nowhere aren't large enough to warrant the provision of major medical facilities and they exist hundreds of kilometres away from any town or city with a population large enough to warrant major medical facilities. Add to this the lifestyle choices that some of them make (Alcoholism, petrol sniffing, violence, etc) and it's no wonder that their medical outcomes are below those of other Australians. If you want the life expectancy of a boring, stay-at-home teetotaller who lives in a city with a major hospital then you need to be a boring, stay-at-home teetotaller who lives in a city with a major hospital.

Jay Somasundaram:

The first step is to recognise that racism exists in me. That it is sub-concious if not concious, automatic and instinctive, a product of both nature and nurture.

It is something I am not proud of, will try to overcome it, but on the other hand, as in all things, be gentle on myself.

But I will also try not to bow to political correctness. While bearing in mind that a race is a statistical term, and individual differences are typically greater than group means, different groups have different characteristics, caused by both genetics and cultural differences.

indian_68:

08 Jan 2014 12:44:36pm

Very well said Chris. As a person of Indian origin living in an essentially Anglo-Saxon neighbourhood, I experience racism every time I go to buy groceries. It's subtle but it's there. I think there is an element of racism in each of us; it's how we deal with it that makes all the difference. India is a very racist country too. How else does one explain the continued increase in the marketing and sale of "fair and lovely", a cream that claims to lighten the skin and is hightly subscribed to by young women hoping to score an eligible life partner in the arranged marriage market.

MJLC:

08 Jan 2014 6:46:04pm

Trusty Wikipedia advises me Anglo-Saxons "...were Germanic tribes who migrated to Britain from Jutland and Northern Germany beginning in the early 5th century...". I'm not surprised they tend to be a bit rough around the edges when you meet them in supermarkets buying their spear handles and breastplates whilst smelling of feast and tankard beer.

I think the term you may be struggling to enunciate is "white". It isn't hard - any more than it's accurate. I have fond recollections of hearing a black man many years ago on Johannesburg talkback radio talking about this obsession with the label "white people", and humorously pointing out he'd never ever seen a white person - just lots of pink people. Surprisingly perhaps, I never considered it important to analyse his remarks to decide if they were racist or not.

As regards the Indian skin whitening and arranged marriage market, I hope you don't mind if I point out some apparent sexism in a decidedly non-racist way. I perceive from your writing a certain distaste for the females who do this - I feel you may be far better off sneering at the males who seem to want/need/demand it. Just saying.

Terry:

08 Jan 2014 10:11:49pm

I suspect it is so subtle that it is not there at all.

"Imagined racism" is the second most common form in Australia today.

The first, of course, is racism directed at "white" people, who are subjected to physical and verbal abuse daily and have "no go" areas in their own cities. If you doubt this, hang around an emergency centre at a major hospital and listen to and watch what the police, nurses and ambulance drivers have to endure.

Curious party:

Dave:

08 Jan 2014 11:52:59pm

The history of post-war non-English-speaking migration to our fair land is basically our attitude is that if your mob has been here a few years then you're probably alright. It's the latest mob who are a worry. And then there's the Aborigines.

So the Balts (that's my mob, for those interested) were a worry. But then they were fine, it was the southern Mediterranean 'wogs'. But then they were fine, it was the Vietnamese. They were soon fine. And on it goes.

So the bottom line as it stands today is that Australia is for the most-part not a racist country as long as you're not middle eastern or Aboriginal.

As recently as the mid-90's, middle eastern wasn't on the radar. Pauline Hanson got herself elected by dog-whistling about Chinese immigrants. When did you last hear anyone under 70 be racist towards a Chinese person? Not since September 11 2001 I'll bet.

Again though, racism against Aborigines is entrenched. From simple acts of barbarism in colonial times to the policies which divided families and denied voting rights right up until about 5 minutes before South Africa was on the receiving end of massive sanctions to Nicky Winmar and Adam Goodes copping it on the footy field, racism against Aborigines comes far too easily to far too many. Acts of racism by the police are everyday occurrences for many.

On a final point, white Australians have generally been (in my experience) relatively welcoming of African migrants in the last decade. Australians are generally happy that we accept refugees who come through the channels preferred by the immigration department rather than turn up on boats, and if we're going to reduce racism in this country I can't help but feel that this is an angle which may assist.

gerard oosterman:

08 Jan 2014 12:49:49pm

What hope is there that to be even seen to care about boat people will result in ad hominem attacks on our own home grown residents? It is no wonder this dislike of the foreign spilled over to anyone from a foreign country especially if the skin is dark as well. The horrendous vilification on blogs and MSM on a relative small problem of a few thousand boat people starkly contrasts and negates our image of tolerance and acceptance. The Christmas Islands, Manus' and the Nauru's and now the towing back of boats, demolishes any pretence of tolerance. They are too reminiscent of a White Australia.If we can recognize our racism it would immediately also do away with our appalling treatment of those that did make it to our waters.

VoR:

sea monster:

09 Jan 2014 9:43:41am

I was hoping someone would draw that conclusion, VoR. For some reason the dreaded Anglo seems to be better at diversity than others. Doesn't need the rules and official indoctrination that exist in Singapore either. The 'Anglo' doesn't do identity politics as intensely as continental Europeans (at least in my assessment).

I had an uncomfortable conversation with a French friend the other day. He wanted me to agree with him that Europe has a particular problem with racism. He thinks we do things better here. Couldn't go there (even though some evidence may suggest it). We all have our problems, I told him.

I've mentioned him in the past. He refuses to agree with me that Australians have a particular problem with drinking. He says our problems are out in the open. The French drink themselves to death behind closed doors. WHO stats support his argument.

get real:

VoR:

08 Jan 2014 7:32:00pm

The attackers of the Indian student were hardly attacking him because of his skin being dark - their own skin is considerably darker. Neither were they attacking him for being foreign - they had no way to know whether he was born here or not, and may not have been born here themselves.

Yes, the aboriginals have darker skin than the whites in Alice Springs, but it's a 100% certainty that any racism that targets them is nothing to do with being foreign either.

Mac:

08 Jan 2014 10:22:39pm

The group who targeted the Indian student had been targeting other Indians. One of the group was on bail for a similar offence against another Indian. They were targeting a specific racial group-for whatever reasons.

VoR:

Bradfordlad:

08 Jan 2014 12:50:10pm

Wow, from a sample of one you've been able to hypothesize that Australia is racist.Firstly, a point that's made ad nauseum is that the country isn't racist, although many of the people are.Same as any country, even - may I dare to say it - India.Do you really believe that if I migrated to India I wouldn't get the same sort of comments that you complain about?Of course I would, and I wouldn't have a problem with it as I would know that the vast majority of the population would have no problem with someone who's a bit different.

And as far as the student who was beaten up I understood that he was just unfortunate in being in the wrong place at the wrong time - he could just as easily have been white Australian, or Chinese or African.

Personally I never dislike people in groups of more than one - if I dislike someone it's because I think that they personally are a prat, not because of the clothes they wear, the church they attend or the colour of their skin.

VoR:

08 Jan 2014 10:36:49pm

It is true there is racism in Australia and it isn't a value judgement ... except. One of my lecturers used to say that things can be true in an interesting way or true in a boring way. When you write an article about racism being in Australia, the implication is that it's true in an interesting way. Otherwise why write the article?

Just having racism in Australia isn't really interesting because the population is large enough that you'd take it for granted it existed statistically, along with all the other common human vices.

So to be interesting there must be more to it. An obvious possible implication, in the absence of anything explicit, is that Australia is racist.

chrisso:

Well, no. Just because a society isn't perfect doesn't mean that individuals from that society can't have an opinion. If that were the case none of us would venture to say anything.

Similarly, just because another country has problems to resolve doesn't mean that we shouldn't tackle our own. An "outsiders" opinion can point out issues we have difficulty seeing ourselves.

As it is, the Indian government has done a lot to tackle the injustice of the caste system over the last 50 years or so. There is much more equity now than there used to be. Similarly we have done a lot to tackle discrimination against women and aborigines. Why not tackle other areas of racism as the author of the article suggests. It's not going to hurt. Really.

Curious party:

Ross:

09 Jan 2014 12:22:28pm

The writer clearly states that he was raised in australia and bringing up racist attitudes of other countries is completely irrelevant and another shining example of white australia's tendency to bury it's head in the sand when confronted with any essay/article/study that discusses racist attitudes within australian communities

Helvi:

08 Jan 2014 12:51:43pm

Any problem not recognised, can't be solved. If a newcomer to this country dares to suggest that some thing could be done better, the answer to that is very often, go back where you came from. Not a very grown-up answer, I might add.

Den Nordiska Hairy Folket:

08 Jan 2014 7:27:45pm

I have that problem whenever I try to tell people about the total absence of racism in Nordic countries. We Aussies get all bent out of shape about that. For some reason we also get confused when I explain to them I am:

1. A dinky-di Aussie who teaches his Aussie born kids they are not Aussies, and2. A recent arrival who has two generations of Australian born progeny.

They accuse me of changing my story to support my point. Or worse lying.

barsnax:

08 Jan 2014 9:16:01pm

Sweden's Sverigedemokraterna and Norway's Fremskrittspartiet are just a couple of the political parties in the Nordic region who espouse extreme right wing values so don't give us this garbage about "the total absence of racism in Nordic countries"

Kate:

08 Jan 2014 9:19:20pm

That's cute. The last conversation I had with a swede he was telling me how horrible Malmo is with all the Muslims living there now. But please, continue to tell us how there is no racism in Scandinavia.

Fred:

08 Jan 2014 11:05:27pm

Complete absence of racism in Nordic countries? Sweden's recent neo nazi violence and Anders Brevik may suggest otherwise. There are serious racial tensions brewing in Scandanavia. Sweden is on track to have its indigenous white population become a minority within 15 years as a result of mass migration. Most Swedes don't want this, of course, but they have no say.

Anita:

08 Jan 2014 12:53:42pm

Comment for We must recognise racism in order to end itBy Chris Raja

Sometimes racism in a community is an excuse for 'reverse racism'. This is when a foreign person is looking for a reason not to assimilate. Pandering to this would not allow the community to move forward either.

Looking for a positive balance is usually the best way to combat racism.

dman:

Pete:

08 Jan 2014 12:54:56pm

Chris, I completely agree with your last suggestion: let's get out there and discuss things they can personally do to counter racism. So much talk of racism is high-faluting, inner-urban elite-driven, impractically broad, and consequently inane:- spoken by people who have no experience of racism, and who will never live next door to a refugee, or an indigenous person: I mean never. They think they know it, but have never seen it, or felt it themselves which makes it hard to spot the real thing when it's easier to conflate every disagreement with a group an example of racism. They've mistakenly created a false dichotomy: non-racist = love everyone in a group, racist = hate everyone in a group. There's a subgroup in this demographic whose willingness to stridently label just about anyone they can squeeze in to the term 'racist' is part of the problem - the word is losing meaning, leads to casualisation of an insidious problem, and can simply polarise groups who are never going to agree anyway. The word racist needs to be reclaimed in all its historically-contexted horror. Then of course, there's the real racists: people who really believe race determines someone's worth, without even knowing them, and without the inability to separate race from actions or values.

Let's get back to basics: describe what racism is (hints: it doesn't necessarily involve your disagreement with someone of another race, and it doesn't necessarily mean you like everything about another person or their culture), provide common, casual and serious examples so people can see the many little things they may do that constitute real racism, highlight, via empathy, the effects these taunts or actions have on reasonable people (key words), show that disagreement or dislike is not the same as racism, and lastly appeal to people's sense of fair-go to stop hurting people for no reason other than race. This leaves one lasting, vexing problem for which I have no answer: so much of alleged racism is in fact 'culturalism'. If you believe all cultures, and cultural values are equal, and label criticism of those views 'racist', you've misunderstood the term. This one is hard to counter: differentiating the two is fraught with danger, and easily slides into genuine racism, but it's not the same - there are subtle differences, but they're not easy to explain, challenge, accept or even discuss in today's polarised, forced-binary thinking processes in our vapid society.

The best piece of simple, and not admittedly complete, advice is: take each person as they come. You don't have to love or even like them, but to pre-judge them based on their racial background is wrong, and constitutes real racism. The other admission we should make is that racism comes in both personal, and institutional forms. I would argue the latter is far more pernicious: Nazi Germany was a triumph of the institutional over the personal, and consequently leveraged its capacity for horror a thousand

Darkless:

08 Jan 2014 6:46:06pm

Good article and agree. Racism is over-used and it constant over-use for every situation lessens its impact. I also think that it is not race per say that is the problem but rather cultural or religious differences. With that exceptions of a few, we are being more and more mixed as a species, in a thousand years it probably won't be race, but rather cultural differences. And truly cultural differences is the hardest to over come. Some seem almost incompatible or incomprehensive to others.

Curious party:

09 Jan 2014 11:43:23am

Considering that 'race' is an artificial construct, there is no sense in distinguishing between prejudice based on race and prejudice based on culture. 'Race' is really just a shorthand for cultural and ethnic background.

Could you please provide a clearer definition of what you consider to be the difference between racism and culturalism? And examples would be great as well to aid understanding.

An Economist:

I hate to say it eliminating or reducing racism is a pipe dream. People simply don't celebrate diversity. It's frowned upon and viewed with suspicion. Racism is taught or borne from bad experiences.

In Australia if you take a typical public school kindergarten class in a middle class suburb and examine the way that children react to one another from different backgrounds you are unlikely to see racism (but more likely to see sexism i.e. I'm not playing with girls!) well that my experience from my children.

The greatest tools to counter racism are education, self awareness and self reflection and tolerance for differences. You need EQ as well as IQ. As an individual you need to stop sweating the small stuff and small differences. The fact is that the vast majority of people simply want to get on with their lives, work and be productive citizens regardless of race.

I'd argue that Australia is far from perfect, but as a multicultural and multiracial nation we do better than others. I believe we have the highest rates of interracial and inter-cultural marriage in the world. Not that we cannot always do more to increase our tolerance, and shout down those that display and promote intolerance. Unfortunately though we are more likely to see an increase in intolerance under the guise of freedom of speech.

whogoesthere:

08 Jan 2014 5:44:36pm

I agree with most of this. But there is a thorny problem, we do believe in individual freedom. If someone wants to be racist, isn't that there 'right'. Sure physical and verbal abuse etc can be illegal. But if someone simply wants to say 'I don't like (insert whatever) people and choose not to associate with them', what do you do then ?.

I think the generational think is the best cure. What Africans and Indians and so on experience now is the same that the Greeks and Italians faced. I think accent is just, if not more, important than appearance, once the Aussie accent kicks in, alot of the racism goes. Might not be fair, but probably the same everywhere.

An Economist:

EvilPundit:

08 Jan 2014 12:55:46pm

More of the same tired old guilt-mongering. This time, reviving the hysteria about "racial attacks" on Indians that was all the rage a few years ago. Indian newspapers were full of lurid, sensational accounts of this supposed racism.

Police investigations latesr showed that most of the incidents were crimes committed within the Indian community itself, while others were random street crimes with no racial agenda.

Racism is a bad thing, but after so many years of opportunistic false accusations in support of political agendas, Australians are no longer very interested in listening to the tedious bleating of the multiculturalists.

Dove:

APM:

08 Jan 2014 7:00:45pm

The people who complain about Aussies being racists always imply it is a problem for white Australia exclusively and neglect mentioning that attackers are often recent immigrants. This vital omission discredits these claims and suggests agendas at play - even racism against whites. He uses the word 'whitewash'.

reaver:

08 Jan 2014 10:21:21pm

Who said that they were, Dove? EvilPundit didn't. EvilPundit's post was regarding the violence inflicted on Indian nationals which turned out to be mostly inflicted by other Indian nationals and that the fact was ignored and concealed by those with a political or social agenda.

APM:

08 Jan 2014 12:58:40pm

There is going to be much dishonest and uncritical white bashing here. The only time I could identify attackers in the media they were clearly recent non Anglo themselves. This makes sense as Indians tend to live in highly multicultural areas. Indians are seen as soft targets, being of slim build, and out and about at night often alone. Indians do have have a propensity to unfairly regard bad outcomes for themselves or their countrymen as racism.

An Economist:

08 Jan 2014 7:12:40pm

Your being overly sensitive about the white bashing. In any nation the most prominent culture and race is going to exhibit some intolerance towards minorities. Having travelled extensively I've experienced racism in China, India, Turkey, London in non-white communities, but I'd argue its with a minority of individuals.

But we're all Australian's and why can't we lead by example and display a little more tolerance toward one another's differences. It's not as hard as you might think.

APM:

08 Jan 2014 8:13:12pm

I think white Australians are offended by the lack of recognition of being so accommodating to peoples' of all faiths, races, and cultures, often to the detriment of our own culture/faith etc. After all, only white majority countries practice multiculturalism. It's grating that some immigrant groups are either the source of the worst racism or make exaggerated claims of white racism whilst ignoring other sources and explanations. I found this article to be very undergraduate and indicative of an activist mentality rather than reasoned analysis.

VJ:

PW:

08 Jan 2014 1:02:57pm

Material on the internet or elsewhere such as that shown in the article is completely illegal in this country, and the perpetrators should be brought before the courts and dealt with. They can catch downloaders of kiddie porn, no reason they can't catch those who incite racial hatred.

Having said that, I don't think there's all that much of it about. A goodly percentage if not the majority of acts of violence against Indians in Australia is either random or committed by other Indians. Most of it isn't racially based at all. Indians in Australia behave as they do in India, as a rule, which is sometimes rather barbarically, especially towards women.

Nonetheless, violence for whatever reason (not just racism), and the inciting of it, is unlawful and needs to be punished and it seems is being punished. Not much more we can do I don't think.

NikMak:

08 Jan 2014 6:28:58pm

the point of the article was that racism doesn't have to be about violence.

Anytime a person crosses the street early because they are wary of the dark-skinned man coming towards them, they are acknowledging a subtle prejudice, an assumption they have made based on race, stereotype and myth.

Anytime a person stops to hide the contents of their wallet from their Indian cab driver because they are afraid he might try to overcharge, they are acknowledging a prejudice too.

No matter how factual these stereotypes seem, no matter how often someone confirms them for you with a story, when you base the way you behave and react to another person on their race and the assumptions you have made because of it, then your essentially indulging racism.

Now, having prejudices and infrequently slipping up and engaging in them doesn't make you a "racist", necessarily. That's like saying that I'm a chocoholic because I occasionally eat a mars bar. everyone makes assumptions from time to time - it is after all a function of how our brain works; to make shortcuts, to generalise and to categorise. The important thing is that we acknowledge our failings, endeavour not to deliberately give in to them, and to always take the time to examine and re-evaluate the beliefs we have, no matter how subtle and small.

An Economist:

Bruce:

08 Jan 2014 1:06:07pm

I think that racism is perhaps one expression of a weakness that is of such long standing that it virtually hard-wired into the instincts of many or most of us.

That weakness starts from there being a lack of confidence of 'me' in 'me' that expresses itself in bluff and bravado on the one hand and in the desperate need to be safer in the membership of a 'gang', preferably the strongest gang that will have me.

This weakness would be recessive in a healthy diverse and vibrant, sociable, society but that is not the course of social possibility men most places have followed over the past some thousand years.

Most of us have lived in a 'political' situation, where success equates to position on a totem pole and ambitious people will do almost anything to get as high as they can and stay there.

This - selfish, competitive, inequitable, unfair - arrangement fosters bluff and bravado and gang tactics. They are 'effective' political tactics, along with rather a lot of other unpleasant habits. Unsurprisingly, we became people of our gangs - our local associations and our 'state' agglomerations - some of which were passable but many of which preached different forms of exclusivity in their codes for inclusion.

Out of this poor way to come we have constructed our mindsets, our political ways of looking at the world, our concepts of success and the means by which they might be had. And we these include the idea of nil value, of environments and of others beneath our gang-minded dignity, and the idea of fear, that other gangs may take over our neighbourhoods somehow (and in a political model they will try to).

So Chris I think there will be racism whilever the system we think under remains selfish, small-minded, fearful, competitive, and gang-favouring - ie political as we have always known it.

If we can grow quite away from that we will solve most of the problems of racism and most of the terminal problems of humanity that the political mindest has accumulated.

Genrosity, regard, respect and responsibility towards onself, every other and all our places and situations gets you a very long way along that better path.

far away eyes:

If aust is such a racist hell hole like the inner city yuppie leftists would have us believe, why do so many non-Caucasian races go to such lengths to get citizenship here.

Why aren't all the foreign races throwing their hands in the air and running back home because of the racial abuse they receive here?

Aust must be a racist hell hole because the ABC and Greens say it is. Have they been to Sth Korea where westerners are routinely abused and spat upon? But Aust is the racist hell hole. Year right Auntie.

Pete :

09 Jan 2014 12:09:23am

Few people in Australia think it's a 'racist hellhole', including 'inner city yuppies' (whoever they were - the term 'yuppie' died out in the 90s and I haven't heard it - or 'foreign races' used by anyone under 70 for years). While plenty of non-caucasians race to get here, so do caucasians - the non-caucasians you refer to tend to have fewer legitimate avenues to get here, but people all over the world want to come and live here (and in fact outnumber non-caucasians in terms of immigration). Even if 'all the foreign races' are desperate to come here, it's ridiculous to think Australia's racism is going to stop them - they're trying to avoid far worse situations in some of the hell-holes they're trying to get out of. To summarise your views in language spoken by people under 70 and not of Enoch Powell's generation, you're claiming inner-city elites all think Australia is grotesequely racist, yet the fact non-caucasians keep wanting to come here proves there can't be any racism, and that whatever racism that exists in Australia must be inconsequential because Koreans are worse. It's a hotch-potch set of disconnected views that don't make for a logical argument I'm afraid.

Terry:

08 Jan 2014 1:15:15pm

I agree, there are some racists in Australia.

For example, African gangs like that the one that attacked Mr Singh. (Did you forget to mention that they were of African descent?). Many attacks on those of Indian appearance by African, Aboriginal and Islander groups are race based. Those few by "whites" as we as so casually lumped together, despite the fact that we are from any disparate cultures, are rarely on racial grounds. They are often because Indians are seen as easy targets.

Perhaps if more of the non-mainstream cultural groups could adopt the tolerance shown by the vast majority of Australians it could relieve the racism shown by so many recent arrivals.

I feel stronger already for admitting that racism exists in Australia. I expect that when Indians and others acknowledge that their countries contain large numbers of racists (read an Indian newspaper about Australians lately?) then they too will be strong. I have often been taken aback at the attitude of Indian acquaintances towards those with a darker skin than their own. And of course I have been racially abused (and physical threatened) by Indians as well as Aboriginals, Arabs and others. My children and their friends will not go to certain city areas because it is well known that "whites' will be beaten up if they have the temerity to enter after dark.

Have a word with the police and ambulance drivers who endure racism as a part of daily life. They will openly talk of the blatant racist attacks they receive.

There is no doubt that racism is alive and well here and the sooner those who espouse it conform to the mainstream the better.

Or is it, as I suspect from the tone of the article, that racism is only to be spoken off as a "white" sin? That only "whites" as a race, can be guilty of racism? A most racist viewpoint in itself.

mel:

09 Jan 2014 11:16:26am

Terry did you actually read the article? Or did you just jump to your innate prejudices straight away when you said "is it, as I suspect from the tone of the article, that racism is only to be spoken off as a "white" sin"?

If I may quote from Raja's fifth paragraph: "Racism is not confined to one race - all communities need to join hands to end it. The sad reality is racism can be found in any group in Australia. No group is exempt."

Funny how some things are obvious when you bother to read what was sritten.

Aven:

Absolutely agree. Racism does exist and it needs to be acknowledged. The fact that racism exists in other countries (and it does) does not mean that we in Australia need not to do anything about it.

Whenever I have to explain my own experiences (I arrived as a child from Eastern Europe in the 1990s and could not speak English), a lot of Australians get offended and point out that, after all, the kids who threw things at me, made fun of me and yelled obscenities didn't really mean it; that I must have misunderstood what was going on, that it was normal and expected to be harassed if you don't speak the language, that everyone gets bullied so it's not really racism etc, etc. School was a daily torment for me and at the age of 11 the only solution I could come up with was suicide. I never really wanted to do it but it seemed like the only way out. It took me until the end of highschool to really sort myself out and be comfortable with who I am. But I got through it by sing anger and racism towards the Australians. After all, they were such horrible people. There's a lot of power in anger and if you don't reach out to other people they can't hurt you. Unfortunately, this path is just as destructive as the original racism but it is a powerful defense mechanism after they've been rejected by mainstream Australian society that insists immigrants should 'assimilate' and become just like them.

Best way to counteract it is to reach out to people and treat them as people rather than as 'Abos', 'immigrants', 'Indians', etc. If you expect new arrivals to assimilate into your society than your society must be something worthy of assimilating into, otherwise why should people do it?

Adelaide Rose:

09 Jan 2014 2:50:23am

Brilliantly put. I've always thought it quite bizarre that the people who complain the loudest about immigrants and Aboriginals not assimilating are the very same people who think they have a God given right to refer to people using slang, insulting descriptors, or who rant and rave saying "if you don't like it leave" or who speak in absolute terms about different races and religions (Muslims oppress their wives and daughters, Aboriginal are alcoholic, dole bludgers etc).Do people ever consider that people may choose not to assimilate because they often get a very anti-social non-welcome. On the other hand, I have seen people who extend the hand of friendship get friendship back.Every culture, including our own Australian culture, has people who will mistreat others based on discriminatory grounds. That does not mean we get to ignore the failings of our own and push blame elsewhere instead. We fix things by being honest about what is happening and we try and understand why people behave how they do so we can then correct the misconceptions and develop a more integrated (note I said integrated and not assimilated) and cohesive society.

Seano:

sea monster:

08 Jan 2014 1:20:12pm

Is anyone saying racism doesn't exist in Australia? I think what gets on people's goats is the argument that Australia is particularly racist or that Australians are particularly racist. This article doesn't do that.

Let's call and confront the racism as we see it. Lets not derail the discussions with untestable comparisons about who is most racist. Let's not say hurtful things to the bulk of Australians who have adapted peacefully to vast change in a short time and just get on with life in probably the most multicultural country in the world.

Also lets not build up racists' confidence. If you tell them they are in a racist culture you embolden them. You give them the impression that their ideas are normal.

chrisso:

08 Jan 2014 1:22:58pm

Things are changing slowly. They would be changing a lot faster if we didn't have bigoted shock jocks stirring up prejudices. The good changes are coming predominantly from schools. These days our education system encourages respect, understanding, the valuing of diversity etc and as the oldies die out, this will turn into a better, more harmonious country.

Ben:

chrisso:

08 Jan 2014 10:25:34pm

If your grandfather would resort to violence to sort out problems then it's a sign that at least one of his values needs to be substituted with another one. I wasn't implying that he was racist, merely that the youth will be better than us .. they will create a more harmonious society. I'm an oldie and I have changed but that's not the norm.

Ben:

VoR:

08 Jan 2014 10:41:49pm

" as the oldies die out, this will turn into a better, more harmonious country"When everyone older than yourself has died out, you'll be the oldie. Best keep some alive somewhere in reserve to distract the attention of people who think like yourself.

struck dumb:

08 Jan 2014 1:23:46pm

Most racism is based on fear, though envy also has its place in fueling the hatred that bubbles away under the surface of our society. For all the grandstanding of the politicians, we do not have a cosmopolitan population despite the many different people who have come here. Multiculturalism is a word with unpleasant undertones that include having to give preference to the religious beliefs of others so we sacrifice the nativity play and Christmas carols in case it gives offence. Its PC gone mad, but certainly gives the radio shock jocks ammunition!As for Indian students taking our jobs, many jobs had already gone overseas to call centres with a lower wages bill, and students here are not responsible for the annoying cold calling we love to hate; they are taking the jobs no Aussie takes, and are often exploited horrifically in their efforts to try and make ends meet. If Asian students were sent home, our hospital system would collapse and we would have many large towns without a doctor's surgery. We would not get home delivered groceries when we want them, we would have problems getting a taxi and be inconvenienced in many other ways involving service industries because there are not the Aussies willing to work for the wages offered and the required hours.That is not the fault of the person taking the job, its the result of piecemeal legislation by governments who prefer to keep the big end of town happy rather than try and solve the inequalities, real or imagined, that are assumed to divide us all. Mainstream Media has its ugly role to play in this by emphasising the controversial and downplaying the successes of immigration. No government to date has managed to offer a successful job-training scheme that sees those who do not have work or training learn something that will actually give them a future! If you have to have a Tafe qualification to be able to wash dishes in a cafe or make a coffee, perhaps its our bureaucracy thats the problem, not the number of qualified immigrants needed to take the jobs governments will not let Australian train for.

Mary:

08 Jan 2014 10:26:43pm

Re - "If Asian students were sent home our hospital system would collapse....." Not true, there would be more Australian students able to obtain places in universities, instead of paying overseas students who rarely have any intention of returning to their place of origin. Also, please don't get me started about the standard of care........

Alian:

08 Jan 2014 1:24:54pm

'let ye among you who has not sinned cast the first stone' or so it goes.

Yes Racism exists in Australia from the blue singlet brigade through the middle classes upt to the Geelong Grammer etc groups. The methods for demonstrating are as varied as the ethnicity that make up these groups and the social backgrounds. Violence through to blatant snobbery.

The question is tho' are we any worse than the racism and sexism that exists on the sub continent or in the canyons of NY or london.

Debate on the subject will do as much as the multi-cultural session sun in schools and in workplaces, or the pleadings from the pulpit or by the local Mullahs.

I don't have an answer but to single out white Australians and the perceived violence singled out for those from the sub continent does little to help but just highlights the issue for other to beleive it is true and repeat

AT:

08 Jan 2014 5:58:17pm

Comparing ourselves to the sub continent or NY and London might be "a" question, but it's not "the" question.

"The" question is whether we're prepared to acknowledge Australia's racism. I'm hard pressed to understand what you're advocating here, apart from a suppression of debate on the matter, which is probably the single worst thing you can do with any contentious issue.

Also, you seem to be treating this as something of contest. It's like you're saying we're no more racist than the targets of our racism, so let's call it quits -- pointless contribution.

PP:

09 Jan 2014 7:02:42am

Agree AT. What does how racist other cities / countries have to do with this? The article is about racism in Australia. Are you trying to say, Alian, that if other countries are more racist than us then we are OK to continue as we are? Ridiculous.

Ben:

08 Jan 2014 1:27:09pm

Because racism has been constantly made out to be a "white" problem. Apparently, only white people are racist. Any racist behaviour by other groups is dismissed, swept under the rug. Any wonder, then, that bashings such as this one - by a group of men of "African appearance" - happen when there has never been any acknowledgement, never mind condemnation, of racism that is just as prevalent among non-whites as it is among whites?

David:

08 Jan 2014 1:29:45pm

Racism is thing taught by others, ie children hearing their parents talking about other races and also from peer group pressures. Education is the best way to stop it or slow it. Cross cultural training and helping people understand other races or cultures are not as fearful or threatening as some make out. These gang bashings, something or someone has started these groups and where does it end?, hateful and evil attacks against a certain race, doesn't and won't end there, it spreads to every group and you could guarantee these gangs are committing other evil attacks, against gay people and vulnerable like the homeless and committing robberies, burglaries and car thefts. Perhaps cultural education and dealing with difference be taught at schools from a early age. But these gangs are not just racist they are criminal and must have a leader or cult figure of sorts, target them and show them to be the cowards they are and perhaps it might slow and one day stop.

Leafygreens:

09 Jan 2014 9:08:59am

Uniform, secular education for everyone.

I can learn my culture from my family and my religion at my place of worship.

My culture and my faith should come from knowledge and understanding not ignorance and fear. Then it will be a source of pride and strength, in knowledge of the diversity of others cultures and beliefs, and should not Be so fragile that it can't stand up against a common background.

James from Bray Park:

08 Jan 2014 1:33:05pm

All racism, not just racism which derives from 'societal insecurity'. Remember the Cronulla riots? That was racism which was born of societal insecurity. The societal insecurity was born of racism against white Australians by non representitive idiots, but that became a non issue. I assure you that the shoving of the motivation under the carpet will guarantee that it happens again, and again the reaction will be remembered and the motivation behind the reaction made a nothing.

Part of recognising racism is defining it. Before starting the process of tackling it, it is essential to understand that the term does not by default mean guilty white people only, and vicitmised non white people only.

I reckon the solution is simple. If an offence is committed, having been motivated by racism, or for that matter sexism, religious prejudice or sexual prejudice, have a mandatory doubling of the sentence.

Racist violence and or descrimination needs to be jumped on in a non racist and hard way, so that no matter what your make up or history, people know to behave like human beings.

PD:

08 Jan 2014 1:33:44pm

Wow. A commentator who writes that racism is not confined to one racial group. When someone says "Australians are racist" you generally know who they are talking about.

Re the "racist" bashings of Indians in Victoria, I live there and I can't really recall any description of the alleged attackers being given. When people say they are racially motivated, we all just assume they were committed by white people. Maybe it's true. And maybe those white people did it because they're racist, but I wouldn't know. I have heard of about six murders of Indians in Australia occurring in the last 7 years. Only one of them was committed by a white person. He may have even been racist. The others were killed by Indians.

When the bashings were a daily news item I decided to find out what the good people of India were thinking. I discovered that "Australian's" were racist, stupid, drunk, ignorant, descended from convicts and that some Indian's thought they should "Nuke" us. I kept hearing about what "white people" had done to the Aborigines. Free pass for everyone browner than me, regardless of how long they or I've been here.

Despite the fact Indians are not in the least racist, they buy more copies of Mein Kampf than anyone else, practice sati, have a strange gender imbalance, like buying skin whitening cream, have violent episodes that result in the mass deaths of Muslims and Christians. Then there is the Marathi party, Raj Thackery (Now deceased) and his views on "immigrants. I could go on, but Indians don't do Irony.

I write this not to stir up trouble, but to illustrate how my attitude to Indians has changed. I used to think they were hard working, decent, friendly and ambitious people. I live in an area with a lot of Indian migrants. My wife and I thought it would be good for our kids to go to school with Indian kids.

Not any more. The parents at our kids school are generally stand-offish, and aloof. Too good for the convicts, they don't get involved in after school activities. Happily their kids are different, but now I pretty much assume all Indians are nasty, racist bigots. Yon know how it works. This stereotyping thing.

So it's good to see you acknowledging your own bigotry. Maybe you could write back to the old country and tell them white people aren't all that bad. If you know, perhaps you could tell them the race of the people bashing up Indians in Australia. I still don't know.

And next time you say "Australian's are racist," cut the pretence and just say "white people are racist." It's more honest that way.

Gabriel Ben Allaine:

08 Jan 2014 1:33:52pm

It does sicken me, the attitudes of Australians (of all descent) towards those who are newly arrived. A friend of mine, a Sudanese Refugee (Now an Aussie Citizen) who arrived when he was 8 (now 31) recently said, "Those effing boat people, why don't we just sink the boats and make them swim home?"

My response? I stared blankly for a while, shook my head and walked away, refusing to dignify that with a response, and knowing full well he arrived with his parents the exact same way 20-odd years ago. It's an attitude all Australians, regardless of race or place of birth, seem to have learnt. I yes, I do believe it is a learned behaviour, and one that can be unlearned, as I managed to turn my wife's racist opinions around. She is still not a fan of certain people, but she now talks about those issues as specific to that person, rather than a whole race, eg "There was a guy at the bus stop who appeared to not know what deoderant was, or a shower. He had poor hygine."

No remarks around a race. Maybe she still thinks tha way, but you cannot police one's thoughts, nor should you. I'm no fan of the International Cricket teams using players who weren't born in the country they are playing for, but it isn't specific to one country, and it's not a racial thing, either.

sc:

Calum:

08 Jan 2014 1:34:03pm

Fantastic and thought-provoking article, Chris! More absolutely needs to be done to stop this silent scourge in our society. As long as our communities are divided along imaginary lines of race, colour, creed, sexual identity, or any other inherent characteristic of an individual, we will never achieve peace or realise our true potential as self-actualised human beings.

I would add that discrimination on the basis of religion is also totally unacceptable. Unfortunately, people like Cory Bernardi and others of his ilk continue to hide behind the smokescreen of "traditional values", based on a Christian ideology, while denouncing religions such as Islam that have equivalent legitimacy. Fundamentalism and ultra-conservatism is eroding our communities and doing far more harm than good through selective interpretation and application of "values" that could not be expected to function in a global community having been written back when the world was flat and groups were at war with pretty much anyone and everyone they came across. Sadly, this is true for all organised religions, not just Islam or 'Western' modern interpretations of the Judeo-Christian traditions.

People come to this country with a desire to seek the same opportunities and better their own lives in the same ways that White Australia takes for granted: achieve gainful employment, get an education, support their loved ones and engage meaningfully in a peaceful society.

Racism is rife in Australia. It is institutionalised and normalised and swept under the rug. It is as you say, "white-washed". I do not know if all violence against migrants is racism, we know from the stories of kids being bashed in Kings Cross (which would just be the tip of the iceberg, really) that often, victims are just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Perpetrators are too often affected by drugs or alcohol or simply disaffected and 'looking for a thrill'. Although that does not excuse causing harm to another person, we do not do ourselves any favours by painting every attack as race-based when the broader issue may be that general disengagement with the community, especially among young men, is extraordinarily prevalent.

I do not have an answer or magic bullet to solve this problem. I can only despair at the perpetuation of this cycle of pain wrought upon individuals, families and communities. I work in emergency healthcare and have resigned myself at this stage of my life to merely cleaning up the mess, picking up the pieces and holding the hands of victims as they deal with the consequences of actions that in the majority of instances were completely unprovoked and totally senseless. When dealing with victims who do not speak English fluently or even at all, the difficulty of building trust and providing reassurance is made harder and what reason does a foreign visitor have to trust a young man in a uniform when a group of thug

APM:

08 Jan 2014 1:39:05pm

It is not reasonable to blame Aboriginal 'disadvantage' and dysfunction on white racism. It is not being 'whitewashed' - which is perilously close to racism itself. Australians throw billions into solving these problems. The brightest minds and many people of goodwill desperately do the best the can. The apparent segregation I feel has its roots in laws, attitudes, practices, policies, that treat Aboriginals as different from the rest of us. The solution does not lie so much in compassion or understanding or tolerance for something called Aboriginal culture, and wallowing in white original sin, but about expecting the same basic standards from Aboriginal Australia that apply to everyone else. If you treat people and cultures as children with low expectations and that society's norms do not apply to you, you set up failure. There are highly recognised pathways to high standards that involve; law and order, sobriety, attending school, work ethic etc. These trump cultures of low standards. Past mistakes do not dilute this reality. The white racists and segregationists are the ones who will not treat all races literally the same with no excuses.

Azzabagazza:

08 Jan 2014 1:40:14pm

A thought provoking article.

In my everyday life (set to easy as a white Australian male) I encounter racism everyday.

I try and challenge it diligently - although sometimes a moral weariness means that I overlook the kind of casual racism that passes as humor or cynicism. I would love to see some leadership to try and change that culture - although I fear it is similar to trying to change drinking culture - when something is embraced by so many, it comes with risk to point out that racism is damaging us as a country. So far, some of our leaders have been willing to take that risk, but too many remain silent.

MT_Syd:

08 Jan 2014 1:43:25pm

Alice Springs is a microcosm of Australia? I dont think so.

How to solve the problems that Aboriginals have is a vexed question. No one knows a good set of solutions. One thing is certain, it is much more difficult to solve them in remote areas than in larger cities for the simple reason that most of the people that might be able to help dont want to live outside of cities.

Also, I really dont think it helpful to conflate Aboriginal problems with racism directed at Indian immigrants. They are mostly separate issues

Josh:

08 Jan 2014 1:44:17pm

"This place is a microcosm of Australia."

This is going a little too far - Alice Springs may well be Australia at its worst, but a microcosm? There are varying degrees of prejudice on display all around this country, but even with that Alice Springs is more of an outlier than a microcosm. Otherwise a decent enough article.

Cobbler:

08 Jan 2014 1:44:27pm

Was there ever any analysis done to suggest that Indians were being targetted by attacks besides anecdotes? I remember one case where the victim had been walking through a park at midnight with 2 expensive Apple devices. I'm not sure being white would have necessarily provided him with anymore safety.

I recognise that racism is an important issue, but I sometimes think that the constant focus on it does nothing but enhance the problem. No matter what happens, each generation seems to improve that little bit each time. When I was growing up in the 80s and 90s calling someone a 'Boong' or a 'Nip' was largely accepted but as a teacher in the noughties it seemed that most of the Gen Y kids were totally blind to race and it seemed the sexes were better integrated as well.

Another issue is that we keep moving the goal posts. Stopping generations of Aboriginals being incarcerated seems like a worthy cause, but legislating against Andrew Bolt from suggesting that White Aboriginals don't really need to have their hands out (his stance) is perhaps a bridge too far.

The recent Aldi shirt debarcle falls into the later category. Yes, in hindsight Aldi probably should have seen it coming, but I'm not so sure the levels of Rage were justified. What I found amazing is people's vitriol over some bewildering insult to Aboriginals, while I was more concerned that in fact the date was 1788 rather then 1824 (Thanks Matthew Flinders!).

Shouldn't I be able to wear a shirt that signifies my love for our democracy or put up the flag on Australia day? What's wrong with Patriotism? Yes, bad, unfair things happen here, but they do everywhere and I think for the most part we all want them fixed.

An Economist:

08 Jan 2014 7:16:49pm

Andrew Bolt did more than just talk about handouts. He targeted and quite frankly defamed specific individuals. Personally I would have used defamation laws against him, his editor, and the newspaper (who were all a party to it), rather than the Discrimination Act, and taken them to the cleaners.

saulg:

08 Jan 2014 1:45:00pm

Good article thanks, To your point about Australia being racist can you point to another society anywhere in the world that isnt? Not saying we cant improve but its better here than in, oh lets say India or Pakistan.

PP:

09 Jan 2014 7:12:51am

"Not saying we cant improve but its better here than in, oh lets say India or Pakistan."How is that relevant to this topic which is about racism in Australia? So it's OK to be racist because we are less racist than country x or y? Seriously?

Perspective:

08 Jan 2014 1:45:49pm

Maybe it's not racism, maybe it's peer pressure, a bunch of blokes or a bunch of girls just having a common thread to bind their social group together. Maybe the different races of people walking down the street harbour same attitudes. If people are intermixed in workplaces and social settings, it dissipates. Many people act like herd animals & behave atrociously. 'Whites in Australia' do not have to look far for different races behaving extremely badly. So similar to not necessarily feeling sorry for war defeated who have one less gun than the victors, you cannot say 'we are racist'. It is a nonsense.

Nostril5:

Kwerk:

08 Jan 2014 1:57:57pm

Mr Singh was beaten by Sudanese immigrants. When the scandal broke of mass bashings in Melbourne previously the majority of them were perpetrated by people not born here. That makes Australia racist? You want real racism, look no further than India.

PD:

Doesn't fit his narrative: id set, white Australians are racists. Despite his protestations of racism knowing not being something that only one group is guilty of, that's what he's getting at.

Reminds me of the Hey Hey It's Saturday kerfuffle. 5 people in Black Face, one of them happened to be white. You know the rest: "Australians are racist.'

The silence about racism in Alice Springs I bet occurs because the racism is largely coming from the that group we normally associate as victims. I bet the author has been racially abused more often by them than by white people.

BB:

08 Jan 2014 2:10:53pm

The reason the estate agent didn't have the keys or pretended to is no doubt to do with Alice Springs record with housing and damage that happens with some aboriginal people who rent or live there. Not saying your friend will cause damage but people are gun shy and unfortunately you only need to go to towns like Wentworth to see a similar thing going on.

Dave:

08 Jan 2014 2:13:31pm

Nowhere in the article is it mentioned that the gang of people who are accused of attacking this man are "of African appearance" (as well as one Caucasian woman). I wonder why not? Does this not seem salient to an article talking about endemic racism in this country?

Applaudanum:

08 Jan 2014 2:24:00pm

If we are really going to sort out this problem once and for all, we really need to diagnose the problem correctly.

As I see it, these incidents aren't examples of racism but rather something more sinister. The examples we hear about in the media, from the attacks in Melbourne to various people 'sounding off' on public transport all have a new dimension not present when we think of past examples of racism. Rarely do we hear of people putting themselves at a disadvantage due to their racism, of denying a lucrative sale due to the race of the customer. We rarely hear of people refusing to be served by a particular retail/service attendant. Rarely do we hear of people paying for and leaving their meal unfinished in order to avoid the people who just sat down at the next table.

The incidents we hear about are not examples of a misguided or ignorant perception about superiority vs inferiority, instead, these incidents typify a 'tribalised' notion if identity where one takes an opportunity to verbally or physically 'bounce' their identity off that which is not of their identity.

I do 't mean to be dismissive, but I liken many of these incidents to a kind of 'high school horseplay' ( and young high school at that)with vastly more tragic and damaging consequences. These incidents are more sinister because they are committed by adults and

Applaudanum:

08 Jan 2014 2:35:15pm

If we are really going to sort out this problem once and for all, we really need to diagnose the problem correctly.

As I see it, these incidents aren't examples of racism but rather something more sinister. The examples we hear about in the media, from the attacks in Melbourne to various people 'sounding off' on public transport all have a new dimension not present when we think of past examples of racism. Rarely do we hear of people putting themselves at a disadvantage due to their racism, by denying a lucrative sale due to the race of the customer, for example. We rarely hear of people refusing to be served by a particular retail/service attendant. Rarely do we hear of people paying for and leaving their meal unfinished in order to avoid the people who just sat down at the next table.

The incidents we hear about are not examples of a misguided or ignorant perception about inherent superiority vs inferiority. Instead, these incidents typify a 'tribalised' notion if identity where one takes an opportunity to verbally or physically 'bounce' their identity off that which is not of their identity.

I don't mean to be dismissive, but I liken many of these incidents to a kind of 'high school horseplay' (and young high school at that) with vastly more tragic and damaging consequences. These incidents are more sinister because they are committed by adults and people who should know better, by people who get a kick out of targeting those in a weaker position than themselves.

The reference to an Internet message post is particularly flawed as an indicator of broader social trends. A volatile message on any subject under the sun can be found on the Internet. It doesn't mean that that view has currency in the broader society. Instead it shows the ease in which an individual can don the 'Ubiquitous Balaclava of Internet Anonymity' in order to sound off as though one were a macho iconoclast.

Only when we remove this scourge of tribalism in society, when we can empathise with those in a different position than us, will we be rid of these types of incidents.

Curious party:

08 Jan 2014 2:36:11pm

"This place is a microcosm of Australia."

Except it isn't. There is no way that Alice Springs could be considered to be representative of the rest of the country - due to the poverty, lack of education, lack of opportunity, and the disproportionate cultural make-up of the community.

I'm struggling to understand what you hope to achieve through this article Chris. You are appealling for us to recognise racism that exists in society. The examples that you give are quite poor - either examples from the past, examples from an unrepresentative community, and examples of assaults that may or may not have been racially motivated (not every Indian that is attacked is attacked simply because they are Indian).

But despite the paucity of the evidence that you provided, I agree that there is racism in Australia. There is racism in every country in the world. You want us to move on from racism.

RC:

08 Jan 2014 2:36:59pm

The sad fact is that racism is enlivened by academics who promote that amongst we humans there exist more than one race of humans.Even the author of this piece, a reputed journo, does so.The fact is that humanity is one race - Homo Sapiens.The sad fact is that "Sapiens" is latin for "Wise", or, "Has Wisdom".Yet many intellectuals espouse racism in support of their "sponsors" clamour of "divide and rule" to maintain their status as autocrats and oligarchs, whose ancestors were responsible for the genocide perpetrated against our first peoples as they grabbed their lands.Why would they do so?To affirm that it is a "common law" "right" to confiscate "land" where there are no inhabitants, rather like the "highland clearances" in Scotland, 3 hundred plus years ago.Today such is known as "ethnic cleansing".This is accepted as a "crime against humanity" by leading human rights Jurors all over the World.Yet many others deny such is plausible.As every educated ex-colonial from England is aware due to the compulsory study of the Magna Carta of 1215, human rights protections and protections against racism are inseparable.They are entwined in our Laws and Statutes emanating from the English Parliament.Yet some promote the existence of more than one Human species/race.The answer to "why so" leads us back to the "land grab" of the 18th., 19th., and 20th. Centuries here in this "our fair land".To the "neighsayers" I say the other species/race in the genus Homo is that known as "Anthropoidus" - the Great Apes.So, when someone proclaims that you or I are in a different race perhaps they actually are a gorilla or chimpanzee.That seems rather insulting to the Great Apes, don't you think? Racism is rather an insolent ignorant insult that remains with us when reputable, yet ignorant, folk declare there is more than one Human race.Sad to say.

Curious party:

09 Jan 2014 8:53:49am

"the "neighsayers" "

Do you mean the horses? :)

Those that say nay to the fact that race is a social construct rather than a genetic one are probably more likely to be misinformed rather than malicious. I think that is certainly true of earlier times, when our understanding of organism classification was based on superficial details. As for the perpetuation of this misapprehension, well I think it is sometimes just a bit of a verbal shorthand for 'ethnic and cultural background'.

It does however create a stupid situation when it comes to accessing services for Indigneous people - the whole 1/16th indigenous thing is an absolute joke. Access to services should be based on how entrenched within the culture ones upbringing was - as that is probably the greater determinant of disadvantage than how far back they have to trace their ancestors to get to one with black skin.

Terry:

08 Jan 2014 2:43:39pm

After some more thought, I have decided Mr Raja may be on to something.

While Australia is not a racist country, there are forces at work to make it so.

Of course racism exists here. There is no doubt that verbal and physical attacks on the main "racial" group are numerous and growing in number and intensity. One group in particular is virtually encouraged to blame all its woes on another "race" to the extent that the word "white" is rarely used in some circles without a following epithet beginning with "C".

But such racism is luckily mainly restricted to small groups. (Though it has led to some attacks on visitors, such as the attack on Mr Singh by youths allowed to resettle from Africa.)

There is however the legacy of thousands of pieces of racially discriminatory legislation favouring those of one "race" over others. I had always hoped that we would one day remove such antiquated laws that force us to view each other as members of a "race" rather than individuals.

Unfortunately, the reverse is true. There is a strong push to not only maintain such racially based laws, but even to place race based elements into the Constitution! Unbelievable in the 21st Century but true.

Hopefully the nation will pull back from the precipice and refuse to acknowledge that "race" exists, let alone deserves to be enshrined in our governing document.

PS Before I get abusive (and probably racist) replies, I have nothing against Africans, those who claim to be Aboriginal etc etc. I do, however, have strong reservations about many cultures in the world, including my own. (Putting old people in homes to die, glorifying alcohol abuse, placing sportspersons above scientists and teachers etc). I have a particular aversion to "victim" cultures that condemn the adherents to lives of misery as they believe that everything is the fault of some other race, be it whites, Jews, blacks or Arabs.

To make it crystal clear: an individual is not of any race. Races do not exist, let alone have characteristics. However individuals may adopt cultures of which I disapprove. That does not make me a racist. It means I have standards that I am prepared to defend.

Curious party:

"I have a particular aversion to "victim" cultures that condemn the adherents to lives of misery as they believe that everything is the fault of some other race, be it whites, Jews, blacks or Arabs."

So why is it that in your comment you are only acknowledging the examples of racism perpetuated by indigenous Australians? (I know that you didn't mention them specifically, but I believe that omission was deliberate, and your comment makes many of the same points made by those who do specifically mention indigenous Australians as deserving vitriol.)

And why is it that yesterday you were on the side of Cory Bernardi who was launching a victim-mentality style argument about how the poor white Christian culture here in Australia is being corrupted by the homosexuals and the Muslims? (And then crying foul about their freedoms of speech being impinged by those of us that don't like to listen to uneducated twaddle - more victim mentality BS)

Race doesn't exist in a scientific sense. And a lot of legislation around indigenous descent doesn't make sense. But the indigenous cultural backgrounds do exist, and I see no reason why they could not get acknowledged in the constitution. After all, it is only the most cursory mention in the preamble anyway.

Oh, and BTW, when you want to say "those who claim to be Aboriginal" you might consider saying instead 'those who identify as Aboriginal'. I'm sure when you use the word 'claim' you don't mean to imply some sort of doubt or illegitimacy of the assertion of Aboriginality (even though the word itself could be construed as indicating doubt). I tell you this just because I'm sure it was an honest mistake.

Terry:

09 Jan 2014 10:33:40am

The only mention of a specific group in that post was of the African gangs targeting Asians, though I did hint that the main source of racism in Australia today is by those identifying as Aboriginal attacking those they identify as non-Aboriginal.

(I have great trouble keeping up with the correct term to use. According to the courts, simply believing and acting as though you are of Aboriginal descent may be enough. Some claiming to be Aboriginal are said not to be by others claiming .... It is all very confusing and could be done away with by simply removing all laws that require us to characterise other Australians by "race".)

I agree totally that "race" does not exist. It is a ludicrous concept and to place it in legislation is abhorrent. I am sure you know that to place it in the preamble will spawn hundreds of court cases, all based on the entitlement of a certain "race" to preferential treatment. Why do it?

Why not spend the energy on trying to stop pregnant teenage girls drinking and smoking and condemning their unborn children to blighted lives? Why not use all that political good will to encourage school attendance? Those two things would do a million times more good than inserting race based changes to the Constitution.

Before I get all the "But it is important" posts - what good has Kevin Rudd's apology done? Point out one concrete improvement.

If, as you state, he is claiming that Australians are victims, I think he is wrong. If, however, he is claiming that Australians should not adopt or allow others to carry out certain practices then that is his right and I support that right. I am sure his electors are clever enough to remember his comments and vote appropriately.

pingu:

08 Jan 2014 2:58:34pm

Sorry did I miss something in the article? Where is the evidence (or even hypothesis) that Mr Singh's attack was racially motivated? Not sure if you've been keeping up with current events Chris, but being bashed (and sometimes killed) by liquored-up Bogans in unprovoked attacks appears to be somewhat of a national sport in capital cities at present. I would suggest being young and male is the preferred profile of the average victim - clearly Mr Singh fits that too.

Rock:

09 Jan 2014 2:29:56am

Actually the author does suggest that the attack was racially motivated...There's this thing called context.There's also this little bit that you may have not comprehended due to an overwhelming urge to belittle other people "This latest attack on an Indian student left me wondering about race relations in Australia."I suggest you stop making suggestions.

NikMak:

09 Jan 2014 10:08:33am

"This latest attack on an Indian student left me wondering about race relations in Australia."

Because he came across a comment on the internet that implied the attack was about race, and incited further violence for the same reason. at no point in the article were the words "I think/the police think this attack was a racial attack".

Harry:

08 Jan 2014 2:59:38pm

I guess white people are to blame right. I too lived in Alice Springs and after all the horrific things I witnessed there the town has every right to behave the way it does. They would say we all needed to learn to live with each other, but the truth is I wasn't the one that needed to learn.

sean:

08 Jan 2014 3:16:20pm

Good article Chris, well written. The view of an 'outsider' can be like turning on a light in a place where the insiders didn't realise it was dark - by which I mean the outside viewpoint can illustrate that what we think is normal or acceptable or unchangeable is in fact not normal, not reasonable and not acceptable.

I have a similar reaction to yours when I see reports of what happens to young women in India - and I'm not having a go by saying that. Looking in from the outside, I can't help but wonder at the society that tolerates that kind of horrific abuse of it's own people. Yet Australians are only different in the manner in which we dehumanise people and accept their suffering as OK.

graazt:

09 Jan 2014 12:02:47pm

It seems many in India are actively trying to change the culture there to lessen tolerance of rape. There needn't be a requirement for relativism and some acknowledgement of our own cultural failings when discussing those of other cultures.

I suppose it does help one not come off as arrogant and racist though!

Never a problem discussing racism so the article is good for doing so. But it's also pretty light on tangible ways on how to lessen it's negative effects. Got a "we are the world, we are the children" kind of vibe to it. :)

Pennpenn:

08 Jan 2014 3:17:22pm

It's a sad, inalienable fact that those who are the most racist and the ones who need to knock it off the most are the least likely to realise that they are being racist, least likely to recognise racism when it happens, least likely to understand why what they are doing is wrong. Like the charming little peice up the top of this article, can't even see that, shock of shocks, people don't conform to his idiot delusions, and more importantly the best way for people to not get attacked is for brainless imbeciles to stop attacking people!

Marko:

08 Jan 2014 3:23:21pm

"Let's move forward. Let's end racism"

That's a noble sentiment Chris but it ignores the fact that racism is part of the human condition as are many ism's.

The best we can hope for is that we do not have institutional racism that is ingrained in law. Fortunately Australia does not. However, you will never stop individuals who use racism to feel better about themselves.

Pennpenn:

09 Jan 2014 12:02:19pm

Smallpox was once part of the human condition, but we found a way to get past that. Racism is trickier (social diseases are), but honestly just saying "It's part of being human! We can't do anything about it!" is just trying to get people to ignore the problem. Also it's usually said by people who aren't victims of racism, so there's that.

Bob:

08 Jan 2014 3:27:07pm

To say a particular race needs special help and assistance is itself racist.Only when we are all treated the same does racism dissappear.When we are all treated the same it then becomes individual choices with individual consequences.

Aven:

09 Jan 2014 9:40:39am

"Only when we are all treated the same does racism disappear" - you should read up on the difference between equity and equality. You're suggesting that giving a written IQ test to a blind person and one who can see is an accurate way of measuring their intelligence, disregarding the fact that a blind person may have a higher IQ but will be unable to fill out the form correctly since they can't see it.PS - I'm not advocating the virtues of IQ tests, just giving an example.

Sue:

08 Jan 2014 3:34:39pm

I think part of the issue is that white australians feel increasingly marginalised because they are "balmed" for pretty much everything. there are 2 sides to every story, and racism is not one-sided, a fact which most people prefer not to talk about.

Levi:

08 Jan 2014 3:36:11pm

Chris, Whites get bashed, raped and murdered in South Africa at a far higher rate than Indian's in Australia. Do you see South Africa being forced to 'reflect' on the intrinsic level of racism in their country by sanctimonious journo's? Nope

Let's not get carried away. Although we should expect articles like this to become more frequent in the lead up to Australia Day. Ray Martin and Peter FitzSimmons will be warming up their respective headpieces for 5 more minutes of irrelevance.

I for one am looking forward to people attempting to shame my ethnic group (white, Anglo-Saxon, with some north Germanic and Baltic admixture, Christian heritage but non-religious) because of something that a bunch of British aristocrats did over 200 years ago. Let the orgy of self-loathing begin.

Joram Wilson:

08 Jan 2014 3:42:17pm

I lived in Alice Springs briefly as well a couple of years ago. I remember people of all different races having a good dance at the casino on territory night and an aboriginal man I'd never met buying me a beer. So we've all got stories to tell. Also, as a European Australian I've also been attacked a couple of times by other European Australians and it wasn't very much fun at the time. I do think that it's also important to recognise that many Australians are also not racist, indeed, I actually believe racism in any degree to be really quite the exception. No country is socially perfect, but the indignation and lecturing tone of the author is a little difficult to accept. Of course if you go onto the internet you will find areas where people's comments are unacceptable. But in the real world, there are daily examples of where many Australians of various backgrounds are interacting with each other every day. I come from Tasmania, my rural public school captain was a Chinese Australian. No one ever thought about it. I've often joined a cricket game with some Indian students as a fielder for twenty or so minutes. That's my story. That's also Australian society.

Frank:

08 Jan 2014 3:44:43pm

I stopped reading after the first few paragraphs in the knowledge that the victim (of this so called racist attack) was not set upon by people who represent or are seen to be mainstream Australian. So if you want to carry on and argue the point of racism in terms of colour, ethnicity and alike as apposed to acts by individuals or groups based on their animal behaviour, then take it else where. The social engineers and do-gooders in Australia have a lot to answer for when it comes to not considering the consequences of their actions when the bring people into a civilised society and expect them to fall into line with the existing culture, laws and basic humanity. I've travelled the World and am of the opinion (unlike this writer) Australia is a very forgiving and accepting country with racism confused with barbaric behaviour of a minority (of mostly imports in any case). My several visits to India saw more violence and animal behaviour than anything witnessed here, and the saddest thing about that was the events didn't involve racism because the perpertrators and victims were catagorised as the same.

Frank:

08 Jan 2014 3:44:44pm

I stopped reading after the first few paragraphs in the knowledge that the victim (of this so called racist attack) was not set upon by people who represent or are seen to be mainstream Australian. So if you want to carry on and argue the point of racism in terms of colour, ethnicity and alike as apposed to acts by individuals or groups based on their animal behaviour, then take it else where. The social engineers and do-gooders in Australia have a lot to answer for when it comes to not considering the consequences of their actions when the bring people into a civilised society and expect them to fall into line with the existing culture, laws and basic humanity. I've travelled the World and am of the opinion (unlike this writer) Australia is a very forgiving and accepting country with racism confused with barbaric behaviour of a minority (of mostly imports in any case). My several visits to India saw more violence and animal behaviour than anything witnessed here, and the saddest thing about that was the events didn't involve racism because the perpertrators and victims were catagorised as the same.

wearycynic:

08 Jan 2014 3:55:06pm

Hello Chris,a pertinent, well written piece.

In my experience of racism (and culturism as well) in Australia, I have found a dualism lies at the heart of it's expression. The duality manifests in derision, fear and mockery of the new foreign people (not anglo-saxon) on one side, and curiousity, a desire to empathise with the new 'outsider', and experience the positive differences of what the newest immigrant people offers (food, dress, cultural perspectives).

Exempting those whose bigotry against others based on skin colour, faith or culture can never be extinguished through rational discourse, it appears to me the motivator for racism in mainstream Australian society stems from the fear of the "foreigner" threatening, or undermining, the cohesion of the community.

Put bluntly; as the next grouping of immigrants appears, if Australian citizens percieve a failure of them to assimilate some of the national characteristics, or they exploit social/welfare systems using accusations of racism or prejudice to justify preferential treatment, or worst of all, bring with them the negative behaviour, intolerance, hatred and violence from the lands they have chosen to escape, then the racial/cultural backlash from Australians (of all colours) is inevitable.

Every new ethnic group will find difficulties in threading itself into Australia's social fabric. Always has. But to me the biggest rule to follow for succesful integration would be simply thus:

'When you come here, leave the sh*t that made you want to leave there, back there.'

Aven:

09 Jan 2014 9:47:42am

'When you come here, leave the sh*t that made you want to leave there, back there.'

You're putting the onus of integration onto the immigrant. The assumption you make is that Australian society is open to immigrants. My experiences indicate otherwise. New immigrants may perceive that they are not wanted / welcome and that they will never be accepted, so they cling together and create their own social group.

But to me the biggest rule to follow for successful integration would be simply thus:"Put yourself in their shoes and imagine how you would like to be treated if you suddenly found yourself on the other side of the world in an unfamiliar, strange country"

Mike of Ulster:

I understand where Chris is coming from. Certainly there is a problem with racism here. Certainly the internet forum shows racism - it identified students by a specific nationality.

But re the cowardly attack on Mr Singh - for a discussion on racism - we need reminding of the evidence, race was a motive. I am not trying to belittle the problem of racism in Australia. Not trying to pretend it isnt a problem, clearly it is. But if we are to get a handle on the problem of racism - to tackle it - we must be clear, which issues involve racism - and which do not.

We can't just assume, just because someone from overseas got attacked - the attackers were racist. I imagine students from Malaysia or Japan also get attacked and robbed (sadly) . But we dont hear those reported on - or described as racism. They are just robberies. Why?

I am sure other readers will remind us, what the evidence was re Mr Singh, the discussion will be clearer with that information set out, and I look forward to hearing it.

NikMak:

08 Jan 2014 6:33:05pm

The article does not suggest that the specific case was racially motivated - just that a disgusting comment in reference to the attack had the author thinking a little deeper about the nature of race in this country.

Aven:

09 Jan 2014 9:51:23am

You seem to dismiss the entire article because of one example (the bashing of an Indian student). As if that was the only example of racism in evidence. Have you missed the bus rants posted on media outlets over the last couple of months?

Arewethereyet:

08 Jan 2014 4:09:54pm

Racism is perpetrated by those fearful and therefore ignorant. The best way to counter racism is by a concerted debate based on facts about the economic, political, social, and cultural advantages of immigration. Australia is renowned for its lack of debate other than a few ABC programs. The commercial media foster racism either deliberately or unknowingly with their portrayals of characters and their view of diversity. It will never go away but we can begin to chip away at it through education and informed debate? and stiffer penalties for racially charged hate speech and vilification.

olive:

08 Jan 2014 4:17:11pm

Thank you for your article, Chris. Racism is one form of exclusion and is driven by fear of the other, ignorance and/or retaining the priviledge/advantage. I hope there is at least one country in the world that doesn't have one drop of racism but I fear this is not the case. It is a complex problem as what is required is overhauling of the values that are prevalent in the society. The first step is to have laws that don't discriminate on racial basis, which I believe Australia has mainly done (please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong). The second step is to put these laws in practice by continuously educating all people regardless of their age in recognising the racial discrimination (within themselves and others) and means to fight it - this is not easy, and don't know how we fare on this as a country. As a migrant myself, it saddens me that the Indigenous People's communities are struggling. I don't know what is required to get it right. However, I do hope that Linda Burney becomes our state premier some time soon.

Dave:

08 Jan 2014 4:18:37pm

Australia is not the only country to exhibit racism in all its forms - my travels throughout India led me to believe the same applies there - and i think you will find that the bashings and murders of Indian students were perpetuated by other Indians and people of African descent, not your everyday aussie. Cherrypicking the facts renders your little post myopic and racist itself

shane:

I dunno mate..racism is way worse in India than here, with their caste system.I've been to India, racism, let me put it this way..when my company wanted me to go again, I refused. :(

My wife is a red haired woman..she couldn't even walk down the street without being pointed at, stared at, laughed and giggled at. She's a special lady and she took it well, confronting though it was for her. My company hired bodyguards and a tour guide for her so she was safe when I was at work.

You throw your dead out in the streets to be picked up. Your poor and maimed are beggars..the rich scrape their food scraps together and hand them out to the poor at their gate.

Don't criticize my country when your own leaves much to be desired. ps I've been to Darwin too and have a cousin in the army up there, I also have friends in the mines at Tennants Creek.

I have a mate who used to be a ranger out Bourke..razor wire was needed around house to keep him and his family safe.

Another mate was a painter for the Dept Of Housing over at Moree, where it was common for chickens to live in the houses that had no cupboard doors left. Get the picture?

Dingo:

When QLD enacts laws to clamp down on criminals we get the usual rubbish about ?rights?. People are passionately defending criminals and asking the QLD Govt to drop the laws.

The key issue about rights, is that they also apply to all people and not just criminals. The 99% of people have a right to live in safety and without fear and the 1% clubs and other criminals can just suck-it-up.

Proksee:

08 Jan 2014 4:25:36pm

When news of attacks were prominent five years ago the Australian people and government were wholeheartedly shocked by what happened.

People then began to ask questions: why were other nationalities not experiencing the same problem on a similar scale? indeed why not Indian women? or Australians of Indian decent who have been in Australia for decades?

Once the crimes were investigated it was discovered that in almost all cases the offenders were Indian themselves, or recently settled non-Anglo Australians. This did not however stop the Indian (and others with axes to grind) commentariat from rushing to blame 'racism', rather than more boring reasons (robbery) or to consider Australia as a multicultural society with its flaws and benefits.

This episode sadly will lead to intelligent, hard working Indians in Australia to be tarnished as overly sensitive and vexatious - not a reputation you want to have when you start a new life in a new country.

Mary Little:

08 Jan 2014 4:27:34pm

Chris, I don't think you would walk Gap Road at night nor the mall nor the CBD for that matter! If you actually do live here you would know that Alice Springs is a melting pot for race relations and what you perceive as racism in most cases is realism.

There are massive issues here of welfare dependency, alcohol and violence, but the issues run much deeper and will not be resolved in our life time. Generation after generation are being destroyed because we as a community have become too politically correct and avoid the real issue.

Just ask yourself this; how many investigative journalistic pieces have the ABC done on this issue. Why rape, murder and molestation aren?t reported on the ABC headlines makes me sick? The ABC instead reports on wikileaks, heatwaves and whales when we have real and systematic tragedies each and every day in the centre of Australia.

The people that live here (black, white and brindle) can't change whats happening (for dozens of real reasons) on their own but still have to live with the filth that is in your face each and every day.

So along comes another short term resident that takes a snap shot of his time in the Centre and then jumps on the very bandwagon (accusations of racism) that has stopped any process to help or even force change.

So what does Chris post? Something about a real-estate agent and his first reaction to having an aboriginal person looking for accommodation. Well if you have lived here long enough, which you obviously have not you would know the issues with rentals especially involving aboriginal people from the surrounding communities.

I know the politically correct brigade are going to punish my comments but I have lived here all my life and have very close friends from across the cultural spectrum that believe what I say is sadly too true.

So my advice to you Chris is getting off your pedestal and stop writing crap.

John Lucas:

08 Jan 2014 4:32:12pm

From a different cultural Mr. Raja shines a light onto Australian society and reveals a plethora of problems that are hard to countenance. Our country can only be judged by how we treat the least among us. In Indian culture the guest is treated as a divine visitor. Australia demonstrates it's lack of culture by how we treat ours, and those who have been here the longest.

Original Aussie:

08 Jan 2014 4:36:38pm

I have so much to say i don't know where to start, Raja is typical of many dark skinned people who get jobs in the "Aboriginal Industry" which exists in Australia-I know of Africans that have jobs working with Indigenous people - simply because they 'look' the part. They are part of the 'problem' but happily accept the fat pay cheque each fortnight whilst bemoaning their very clients? ( i could write a theses on this alone) - Alice Springs in NOT indicative of the rest of Australian society; the NT/Darwin was a place to go if you wanted to 'disappear' from the rest of Australia, usually if you had warrants, child support issues, trouble with the police etc.Clearly Raja does not appreciate the generational paternalism, disenfranchisement, poverty and shear racism that exists towards Indigenous people esp in the NT ; In the 50s+60s while Australia was proud of it's Colombo Plan, Indigenous ppl were not even counted as citizens, and were denied an education, jobs, and an equal place in Australian society. And if racism is endemic in Aust, what do you call the caste system in India and it's terrible consequences because of an accident of birth. If that's not racism what does he call it?. I know it has been banned, however a tradition of 100s of years is not going to go away in a hurry, and it hasn't. You will never end racism, it's inherent in the human condition; and to espouse education is whistling in the wind, as you assume that the authors of that forum are not educated? they are reporting on what they see.I am not condoning that forum, however there is truth in a few statements; esp the overcrowding which if an Australian family had 20 persons to a room would be taken to task as it is ILLEGAL it breeds many diseases, TB, Hep C, etc. You should know that if you've lived in the Alice all that time, it has been happening in Indigenous communities for 200 years.And to say that Australians were responsible for all the Indian Student bashing's is just plain wrong. I am of Indigenous descent; my family and ancestors had a horrendous time, too lengthy to go into here, but the author has a platform to express his opinion courtesy of the ABC, and a self interest as he is related to the victim. In short your article will do nothing to stop the racism in Australia - it's far from being as simple as you state; and your answer is over simplistic and naive. And what do you mean acknowledge a collective racism exists?? Every country has problems with racism, and your platitudes are not going to stop it here or anywhere else. This article just makes my skin bristle.

Dave:

Duncan Rand:

08 Jan 2014 4:39:19pm

"Racism exists in Alice Springs as it does in the rest of Australia"

What about the rest of the World. Don't you think that when we bring in such a large number of immigrants into Australia they just leave their own racist ideologies behind? India for example would have to be the most racist country in the world that I have travelled too. Their cast system dominates everyday life and yet we have Indians screaming at Australia about a few small examples of Australian trash like it is a national problem. Look at the xenophobic attitudes of the Japanese and as I have many Asian friends I have found that Taiwanese don?t like Chinese, Vietnamese have issues with Thai?s and I guess this issue is worldwide. Yet you pick out Australia, do you have a problem with Australians?

PP:

09 Jan 2014 7:22:40am

No, he picks out Australia because the article is about racism in Australia. What racism exists in countries outside Australia is irrelevant because this article is not about them, it's about what's happening here. Is that too difficult for you to understand?

Curious party:

09 Jan 2014 9:19:56am

It is relevant because it indicates that racism is part of the human condition. Our brains evolved as discrimination-making machines - discrimination between poisonous and safe, food and predator, friend and enemy. There are natural preferences for in-group vs out-group people (if you doubt that, look on any discussion of politics here - no matter how enlightened we all do it).

I am not saying that this is acceptable, and that we shouldn't be trying to fight out natural inclinations, but I think it is not helpful to look at racism as a particularly Australian problem - particularly since I think we are generally one of the better countries at dealing with racism and multiculturalism (the ignorant espousing the dangers of multiculturalism on this site aside*).

If we want to look at the root causes of racism then it is obvious. Out-group discrimination is most prominent when there is greater competition for resources. Poverty and accumulation of global wealth in a tiny percentage of the population are what drives racism.

*The main reason why this is a demonstration of ignorance is that even if there were only white anglo people here in Australia we would still find divisions in society - look at the real animosity that existed between the Catholics and the Anglicans in the middle of the last century. Look at the divisions along class and political lines. Multiculturalism simply gives us another dimension along which some can choose to draw distinctions: culture.

Aven:

Dave:

09 Jan 2014 10:32:26am

And how's that going for us Aven?

Left to their own devices, solutions to social problems rarely occur effectively. Outside scrutiny is a magnificent thing.

South Africa, the US civil rights movement, the British in Ireland, our own white Australia policy - do you think anything would ever have changed if we'd just left it up to the locals to fix the whole thing?

You obviously support the status quo. It's your right to do so. And it's important you understand that the status quo involves Aboriginal people living with health statistics which are worse than some found in third world countries, with an overrepresentation in prison and with poor education and employment outcomes.

John:

08 Jan 2014 4:41:11pm

Chris,Racism is discussed constantly in Australia, often in the most histrionic terms. The charge that it is swept under the table is deeply strange: one only need watch the ABC, SBS or read a Fairfax newspaper to understand that racism is an obsession of a particular kind of Australian. There is an interview on YouTube between the indigenous activist Marcia Langton and the anthropologist Peter Sutton. They discuss the horrific conditions in many remote Indigenous communities that you allude to, and make it quite clear that this can't be blamed on contemporary racism (these places are, after all, racially segregated). It's easier to blame (white) racism than take a hard look at the complex causes of all the violence and despair. Those that do take a hard look, are quite prepared to acknowledge that much of the violence in remote communities stems from traditional indigenous practices. This includes Marcia Langton, and also another very impressive Aboriginal woman, Bess Price.Are you going to call them racist?

Aven:

09 Jan 2014 10:03:17am

Those that do take a hard look, are quite prepared to acknowledge that much of the violence in remote communities stems from traditional indigenous practices. This includes Marcia Langton, and also another very impressive Aboriginal woman, Bess Price.Are you going to call them racist?

Racism is saying that one 'race' (yes this is a problematic term) is superior to another. So if 2 Caucasian Australians are campaigning against the drinking culture in Australia, they are not being racist. But if they say that "we can solve the drinking culture in Australia because unlike some other races, Australians don't have a predisposition to alcohol and violence", then that is racist. Same with your example. the two indigenous elders discussing negative practices in their culture are not racist. If a non-Aboriginal comes along and says Aboriginal people will always be inferior to us as long as they cling to their beliefs and practices, than that would be racist.

Smoochesfromtheleft:

I read and re read this article and wondered if it had been written by a very young and idealistic man still coming to grips with a reality that is remote from justice, egalitarianism and humanity.

Yep!

With Australia Day approaching it may well be time to finally confront the fact that our nation was built on racism and denial. Australians struggle with criticism, particularly when that criticism rises from within - the brittle nature of our collective egos demands greater attention, care and nurturing than ever has honesty enjoyed!

On Anzac day we lay wreaths by the thousands at memorials to the fallen as a chorus of "Lest we forget" rings from mouths of the proud...perhaps it's time we started laying wreaths on Australia day for the tens, perhaps hundreds, of thousands of Black Australians butchered, raped, pillaged, dispossessed and subjugated to the will of white domination since 1788. The condition of our Black brothers and sisters is no better now than it was in 1788 and this fact alone speaks volumes about tacit approval given by so many to the silent desire for a White Australia Still- and the author thinks that the plight of Manraj Singh will resonate to shape a watershed of change in our national psyche? HA!

If ever a society was built on white supremacy and an out dated view of racial superiority, it was Australia! I am sure that the narrow minded flag waving right wing nationalists and patriotic scoundrels will rail against my post - as they have railed against honest self criticism since 1788. Billy Fraser would be proud of what we've created but any man with a conscience could do nothing more than stand aware and ashamed of the very nature and reality that is racism, alive and well in Australia.

Curious party:

09 Jan 2014 9:24:39am

All countries are based on dispossession of the native peoples. Why is Australia held up for particular criticism?

Evidence suggests that there were multiple waves of migration that brought the indigenous peoples to Australia. Do you really think there was no dispossession of land, warfare and all the other horrors that goes with it when the new waves of migrants came across?

If you real feel driven to action by white guilt, then one way to exorcise it might be to actually go and work in an indigenous community and actively try to improve their lives. Or you could keep clinging to their misery to vicariously experience the hardship that you so obvious crave.

Smoochesfromtheleft:

09 Jan 2014 12:40:14pm

Hi Curious...

In answer to your question...Because like an alcoholic, no solution can be found for racism and racists until a thorough and meaningful admission of the problem occurs first...clearly you're still struggling with the admission. Thanks for making my point so aptly once again! Got your wreath on hand for Australia Day??

Your argument is terribly convoluted and more of an excuse than an admission. Think of it this way..a murderer is no less guilty of murder because murderers exist in other lands!

Further to your comment re "White guilt"...its called accepting responsibility for actions. FYI - I have spent the last 10 years working for the benefit of indigenous communites..firstly through ICEE and then in a fundraising capacity for several health programs...ad you've done what??

I suggest that you refrain from insult (As per your last sentence) and try instead to participate in a meaningful discussion about the nature of the systematic oppression that was instituted against the native populations in Australia - and this as part of a healing and reconciliation process that is something more than simple lip service!

stephen:

08 Jan 2014 5:00:11pm

I just don't see much evidence of racism here.There may have been attacks in the past, but the people who were doing the attacking would, I'd think, be the same people who would get drunk and bash anyone at a night-time bus-stop.A definite, systematic racial hatred program is non-existent here, and if some specific people get harmed, that may be because they are generally alone, at night, and seemingly unable to offer much defence to another who might feel like intimidating someone - anyone - and/or taking their money ... and that the victim might have an unlikely appearance may be the catalyst, and not the reason.

PS ALDI has been humiliated into withdrawing t-shirts with this slogan printed on the front : 'Australia - est. 1788' . Someone thought that that is racist.

whogoesthere:

08 Jan 2014 5:06:57pm

All races have racists it seems part of the human condition, fear of the 'other'. This article ends with 'A collective recognition that racism exists in Australia will not weaken us: it will strengthen us'. I doubt any fair minded person would try to deny there are elements of racism here, but the hard part is what to do ?.

Time seems to be the main thing, and education. As for Aboriginal Australians I have no idea. I too lived in Alice Springs for a time, I disagree that it's a 'microcosm of Australia' and I think the problems faced by Aboriginals are different to those faced by new immigrants, and not really comparable except on a superficial level.

Finally it's easy to pick out bits from social media to support your argument, but not really 'evidence', and I'm friends with an Indian woman who much prefers our 'racism' to the attitude she received from men back home. Ain't life strange.

Disciple of Rationality:

"In Alice Springs, boundaries are rarely crossed.This place is a microcosm of Australia..."

That's an amazing extrapolation, from one very isolated township, extreme inits racist attitudes (yes, Alice Springs is a hotbed of racism) to the whole of Australia.

Your extrapolation (an astounding gymnastic effort not only requiring a massive leap of logic but also extreme mental contortionism) ignores the history of the place, the fact that, internationally, isolated rural communities tend towards xenophobia (that's why the words "boor" (Eng), "bauer" (Ger.) and Boer (Dutch/Afrikaans) are etymologically related) but also that the Anglos in Alice are very frightened of the Aboriginal people who just haven't dried up and blown away as they were expected to do.

If you live in an urban (urbane) city, you'll find a lot less racism. What you will also find is that racism here isn't all pink-skin against dark-skin. You might consider targeting some of that at the same time as you pillory the Anglos of one (very) small town.

skeptic:

08 Jan 2014 5:19:05pm

Racism...

I am glad to announce that everyone of us do have it, and every nation, every race also harbour some form of it in various degree of shades. To eradicate racism is about as feasible and as probable as removing all the harmful germs in our ecological systems!

Australians are racists? Of course. Indians are racists? Of course. By the way, the Indians are more racist against their own because of their cast! But that does not excuse Australians either.

With that out of the way, lets look at a specific case as depicted by Mr. Chris Raja. If my memory serves me right, Mr.Manrajwinder Singh was out with two of his mates, and was attacked at 4 AM. Now, if you ask me whether I want to walk the streets after 1 AM when drunks, drug-affected thugs, and other lunatics come out in droves, out of the pubs? My answer is...Are you being serious?

OK, his skin colour probably has a part in his attack. But we are talking about a bunch of loosers whose sole aim in life is to cause troubles. Undeniably, there are ugly elements among us all the time. Fortunately, they are more subtle and subterranean than the vicious physical violence.

The miseries and the miserable living conditions the Aborigines are enduring are appalling. The physical violence also particularly stand out too. However, many of these assaults were inflicted on them by their own people too! To blame it on racism is, I suggest, a long stretch!

By the way, the term "racism" can also be exploited for one's personal gain. I recall an Indian chap reported that he was physically assaulted, and his car was burned. He reported that it was a racist attack. Alas, a little while later, he was charged with insurance fraud. Apparently he staged a racist attack as, at the period, there were assaults on Indians students, to make a false claim! And mind you, many other foreign students and young Australians were victims of senseless attacks too!

My advice...Just go easy on that term "RACISM" as it is as like to be misused like religions, as it is ugly!

steveb22:

muzz:

08 Jan 2014 5:38:11pm

Im not racist but...sadly australias history is not one of overwhelming tolerance unless you fit in with the dominant culture. Non caucasions do cop a lot of flack and mostly from the ignorant or damaged.

Most people wish no harm on others and it is a few who tarnish the picture of all of us.

However we do hold on to our racist views especially when we look for the differences to justify any negaive actions or attitudes.

We still have a long way to go !!! Lots to learn, much to share.

Advance australia fair...that is "fair" as in equal, not "fair" as in white...I hope

Racial:

recent australian resident:

08 Jan 2014 5:50:41pm

I am a recent Australian resident and I have been a world traveller and have lived in a a few countries including UK and US. I have never felt conscious of my colour or of being an Indian as I have in Australia. I was very surprised when I began to sense this. Initially, I couldn't understand it, but Aussies look at non-Aussies as 'the other' and also perhaps assume certain things about them. I think it is because of a lack of exposure in Australia to the world and general unwareness of where the world has reached. Aussies are still living in their insular parochial minds. I used to hear when I was in the UK that Australia is racist but I sort of dismissed it. Perhaps I shouldn't have.

Mike:

08 Jan 2014 5:57:56pm

Seen from my experience in Austrailia, i was discriminated agaist austrailian very often. Oneday, on the way back home, group of teenagers shot me on my head with water gun. I was totally shocked how this happened in 21C.Besides, kind of discrimination acts were happened during the period of staying in Austraila. How can this silly thing happen in Austraila where is known as one of the developing place?? People have to realize this serious problem happened in their place.

Sylvain jacques:

08 Jan 2014 6:13:53pm

I read with interest the view of what you experienced when first arriving in Alice Springs. I took my family there after having lived in Bendigorespectny years. Both myself and my Australian wife felt we were entering a foreign country, this was in 1986. I look Indian in appearance being of Mauritian origin. We are in a mixed marriage and have brought up 3 fantastic offsprings 2 of whom now have their own Australian born children. The question of racism has not once been an issue despite having schooled both through primary and secondary & tertiary levels in Victoria & Western Australia. It's extremely hard to look at the unfortunate events of violence and bashings of Indian students and link these directly with racism in Australia as a whole.I am in no doubt at all that there's a section of our community who will always reject a multi cultural society. These same people however I have no doubt would also quite happily, hypocritically see it as their right to spend money on a cheap Bali holiday- the point here is that to link every social problem, whether bashings, refugee phobias or just disrespect - to racism, is overlooking the very complex issues of modern life in the global village setting in which we live today. I left my birth country in 1968 and went to live in England at the young age of 14 looking very Indian, this was at the height of the Enoch Powell push for an end to immigration from Pakistan & India, I learnt very quickly that if you are friendly other people will mostly be friendly back to you. We arrived to a very hot Melbourne summer in February of 1972 as a family of 8 kids and 2 Adults all looking very Indian and all very excited to live life in this new country, I can only say that we all happily call ourselves Australian and call this country "HOME". The complex issue here is not racism, but the issue of life itself and how to best raise a family and future generations with a sense of pride, respect for society, less greed and selfishness and more community mindedness and dare I say it an acknowledgement of a greater power than us called God. NOT religion, but the true God of the bible.

bluedog:

08 Jan 2014 6:16:39pm

The good news is that Indians are not racist. Joke.

At independence there were 600,000 Anglo-Indians in India, most with British surnames, being the progeny of liaisons between British men and Indian women. Most were Christians. Since independence the population of India has quadrupled, so there should now be 2.4m Anglo-Indians, assuming pro-rata growth in their numbers. But no, the actual number of Anglo-Indians today is just 300,000.

Did the Anglo-Indian birth-rate collapse? Not all, it's just that the hostility of the Hindu state to these human reminders of empire was such that the majority of them fled to the UK, Canada and Australia. White racism is apparently more tolerable than brown racism.

It also seems that Hindu attitudes to Christianity mirror those of Muslims, judging by the numbers of Christians killed and churches burnt in some Indian states.

Sadly it seems that the racist abuse of Andrew Symonds by Indian crowds was not an isolated incident. Maybe Chris Raja is hoping that his article will be picked up in the Indian press and he can charge an appropriate fee for interviews.

Anonymous:

08 Jan 2014 6:21:37pm

This article reeks of confirmation bias and is intellectually lazy.

I am all for stamping out racism, but this article is a load of slosh that I've heard a million times before. If you want to add any substance to public dialogue about this issue, please move on from 'awareness' and offer some unique insights into how we can tackle it. Calls for recognition have me rolling my eyes.

First of all, Chris Raja conflates the brutal bashing of Singh with racism. "This latest attack on an Indian student left me wondering about race relations in Australia." If he had read the article he linked to, there is no evidence that it was racially motivated at all.

'But wait,' says Chris Raja. 'I searched for racist things on the internet.. and I found them!'

Bravo, Chris Raja. Journalism at its best. The fact that offensive statements are on the internet is not news to anyone. It does not mean that any time an Indian is bashed, it is racially motivated.

I am not saying racism does not exist in Australia, but this kind of lazy hype belongs on Today Tonight.

Secondly, Chris Raja delves into the depths indigenous policy. He offers no solutions to the issue of racism and terrible literacy and employment rates in the indigenous community (besides recognition), but BOY IS HE UPSET. I don't blame him, though. This issue is complex, historically coming into trouble when the issues of self-determination are placed at odds with the welfare of the indigenous population. Recognition is great though. Makes you feel all warm and fuzzy without having to do anything.

Thirdly, Chris Raja rightfully recognizes that 'The culture of racism in Australia needs to be addressed without targeting one race or community.' I was then surprised that Raja made what seems to be a pretty ignorant statement at odds with his previous insight. 'It seems to me when bad things happen in Australia it simply gets "white washed" over.' It seems to me, that Chris Raja is implying that when bad things happen in Australia, it is whites who wash it over and ignore it. I thought we weren't targeting one race or community here..

Hudson Godfrey:

09 Jan 2014 12:42:20am

Anon,

I'll use the familiar form of your name here because I am so very familiar with your arguments. It's true to say that we can place the word "allegedly" in front of carefully selected statements we choose to make about the attacks of Singh, but who would we be really trying to kid in hiding from the larger point that when the wider issue of racism is raised we need to be far more unapologetically opposed.

One of the facts of the way that racism works is that it is predominantly characterised by those in the majority and the more privileged within society pressing their advantage unfairly upon newcomers and outsiders for unfair discriminatory and bigoted reasons. Sure you'll get some reverse racism, and two wrongs never make a right, but it doesn't matter where you go in the world the general pattern of prejudice follows the same familiar patterns.

Ours is a country that educates its people and has constantly engaged in conversations about ethnicity and racism that have gradually rejected colonial attitudes replacing them with tolerance and later multiculturalism leading in many quarters to the embrace of immigration as part of our national character. That alone ought to lead us to question the outliers whose xenophobia is at odds with the Aussie maxim of a fair go for all.

Racism in modern Australia should be more widely regarded as un-Australian, if only because we, almost all of us, came from somewhere else adopting, as do migrants today, this place and this nationality as our own. Yet we're held back by anachronistic visions of this place as a white enclave in the Asian region. It seems to me that we can never really succeed in both maintaining that fiction and overcoming racism while the later functions merely as an outward suppression of the former.

That's the real problem, and if Chris Raja missed it, then assuming that one wishes to offer an honest critique it seems necessary to air our own dirty laundry in his stead. We have quite a challenge in that regard, I hope readers will agree. I trust we can succeed.

Curious party:

I agree that racism is a big challenge for us to work on. But I take issue with a couple of the comments that you have made.

1) "racism works is that it is predominantly characterised by those in the majority and the more privileged within society pressing their advantage unfairly"

I would argue that this is too narrow a definition of racism. I think racism should be more broadly defined as the differential treatment of a group or individual based on their cultural/ethnic background. So therefore members of a minority that abuse members of the majority culture on the basis of their cultural affiliation are also commiting racial crimes. Just like it is racist that there are segments of the health and welfare sector that are only for, and only employ, people from certain cultural backgrounds. It may be eminently practical (and necessary) to do so, but it doesn't change the fact that it is racist. On the same basis I think it runs the risk of hypocrisy to criticise a real estate agent in Alice Springs for looking askance at an indigenous person applying for a rental property - it may be eminently practical for him to do so.

And I think that the term 'reverse racism' is just stupid.

2) "if only because we, almost all of us, came from somewhere else adopting, as do migrants today, this place and this nationality as our own."

I don't come from anywhere else. I was born here. My ancestors came from somewhere else and adopted this nationality as their own. But then again so did literally everyone else's. I don't care how short or long ago it was when one's ancestor came here, if you were born here then you are just as entitled to claim to be Australian as anyone else.

Hudson Godfrey:

09 Jan 2014 10:15:50am

Curious,

To you first point, I'm not proffering a definition of racism I'm making a characterisation of the social conditions that inform bigotry in general. I think in that sense your argument turns into a bit of a red herring and tends to deflect us from the real point which is that we need to recognise attitudes that inform racism and accept the challenge of changing them.

As for "reverse racism", it is exceptionable but nonetheless handy shorthand for reflexive antipathy in kind towards anyone being racist towards you. I'm characterising it as the racism of a minority that is predicated upon the racism of the majority. I'm not excusing it, but I hope this means that taking away the racism of the majority goes most of the way to dispelling it.

To your second point, everyone who isn't Aboriginal is either themselves or within a handful of generations of having arrived. Failure to take that obvious point about our common heritage as a nation of migrants and substituting it instead with the sense of entitlement you express here seeks to justify a failure of empathy that I think we need to step back from. If you're born here then what you should have is an affinity for the place and the kind of diversity this migrant society of ours embraces. If you want to argue with me that an accident of birth should be the main determinant of privilege in the world today then you'd be addressing those sentiments to the wrong person.

Curious party:

09 Jan 2014 10:04:37am

Actually, could I alter my definition of racism as given above: I think there has to be included in there some notion of people treating other people better or worse on the basis of their cultural background. Giving respect to someone's cultural background could entail treating them differently as a result of it, but I don't think that is a bad thing.

Just to clarify what I said before (I do not want to give the impression that I think the minorities are getting all these advantages that the majority don't get) I would concur that racism against minorities by the majority is more of a problem than when it is racism perpetrated by a minority - simply because the majority have more collective power than a minority can.

Fortunately though, racism in this country is now only ever perpetrated by a minority. I think the majority of people, irrespective of cultural background, tend to reject racism. I believe that institutional negative racism is a thing of the past.

Curious party:

09 Jan 2014 9:30:29am

Anonymous:

Ummm... you do realise that 'whitewashing' doesn't actually refer to white people washing something - it refers to a particular way of painting a wall with a cheap paint to cover up whatever was underneath it.

Fellow Traveller:

09 Jan 2014 10:30:31am

I agree the article is intellectually lazy, but such laziness is fully welcome in political circles of the ABC and in media in general. Being politically correct in Australia is just being mentally lazy in extreme because such laziness will allow the markets to function smoothly within a context of a passive, apathetic populace.

Race problem in Australia is based on scientific facts, on emotional, ethical and economic problems which most Australian people do feel about, but do not find meaningful outlets to express.

Besides, race problem was introduced in this country by the governments at a very rapid rate to which the local white population had no time to adjust. Australians have been colonised by non-European migrants in the past 30 years at the rate where this would not be tolerated in nearly ALL the European countries and in many states of Northern America.

The Leadership on race issues, which also Raja recommends, implies the imposition of State dictatorship, enhanced by the police powers against the white racism ... especially racism directed against the Asians.

Even now, for example, if a white person refuses to work in Asian teams, or for an Asian boss, he or she would lose her social security benefits from the Australian government.

Rajas assertion that racism is seldom acknowledged and almost never so by people in public office is TOTALLY WRONG. Because he appears uninformed!

Part of the racial problem was historically introduced by people occupying public office in Australia. All the so called remedies against racism today come from people occupying academic or governmental positions.

For example, the Census statistics will show you that the migrants from India, or South Asia, are overrepresented in Commonwealth public service. Migrants from South Asia are out of proportion in Federal public service to the numbers of working age people they contribute to the community.

Waterloo Sunset. 2014:

Hudson Godfrey:

09 Jan 2014 10:26:35am

Even the capacity to "milk" racism is predicated upon the disadvantage it entails. The dubious claim to being "most milked" functions in that sense as an excuse for bigotry, as if to argue that two wrongs made a right!

SALLY:

08 Jan 2014 6:27:07pm

Speaking of racism, it is so easy to say Let's end racism. Can you promise that you never have discrimination on someone because of racism? Everyone has superiority when they meet someone who you think is low than you. Indeed, there is comparison among nations so that there is difference. How can we end it? It lasts for hundreds years or more.

OUB :

08 Jan 2014 6:29:33pm

To me this comes over as another sloppy emotive piece from you Chris.

You want Australians to police the internet? Good luck with that. There are anonymous idiots plying their trade on the internet all over the globe. Look at Father Oblivion's post here. As usual he shows considerable flexibility in searching out a political point on a non-political topic. Not content with figuratively touching his toes in print he just keeps on going to the obvious conclusion. Should he be censored for scurrilous comments? Apparently not. We, all of us, do not always treat people sensitively nor are we always treated with sensitivity.

Are you suggesting Alice Springs somehow exemplifies the whole country? It would be foolish to do so. Are you suggesting poor health and living conditions are a result of institutionalised racism perhaps? Surely lifestyle and culture play a large part. Alcoholism is a huge problem there, for black and white. Do you have any views on how seriously those in the clusters of unemployed have sought out work? Presumably some have and some have not. Do you care to express a view on the numbers either way?

How far should educators go in forcing literacy in the NT? How many of the inmates were denied the opportunity of an education and how many passed on the chance? In your last piece you championed aboriginal languages now you complain about aboriginal men lacking the skills in literacy to read, write and count. Some conflict there do you think?

You do not explain how you relate "the town camps, the attitudes of some of my friends, the instances of bashings, violence, deaths in custody, poverty, Basic Cards, royalty money, break-ins, stabbings, broken arms, black eyes, yelling, identity checks, the need for more police, drinking, boredom, car accidents, mining, rubbish, smashed glass, empty bottles, suicides, funerals, sadness, court room dramas" back to racism. I take it you are not complaining about white on black violence resulting in the injuries sustained. You want aboriginal cultures sustained but the rubbish, broken glass and discarded bottles of which you complain seem to be peripheral to those cultures, if not part of them. Do you want aboriginal people to change their cultures to that extent or not?

Is the issue more one of a clash of cultures rather than skin colour perhaps? Is your apparent inability to reflect negatively on even one aspect of aboriginal culture a part of the problem? Should non-aboriginal people be barred from criticising any aspect of aboriginal culture and should special privileges be extended to aboriginal lawbreakers to assuage your western guilt? That seems to be where your piece is headed, whether intended or not.

You mention racism wrt the real estate agent's evident reluctance to lease to an aboriginal tenant. That may well be right. But many aboriginal folk have zero respect for maintaining public hou

heather:

08 Jan 2014 7:27:48pm

a person of non white background gets bashed it is racism, white person gets bashed its drunken violence.It is all the same, violence with very little punishment for the criminal.Media label how many indians get bashed, how many other cultural backgrounds got bashed that weekend too?There is very little punishment for these crimes therefore people will continue to do it.Also for every "racist" that wont show a house to someone there are two others that will.On a final point people can mock quite freely scots, irish, english even the white australian on a daily basis and that is not considered racist.Racism occurs more now in the media than any other walk of life i have occured.

Original Aussie:

08 Jan 2014 7:33:02pm

Chris , I hope you read each and everyone of these comments, and perhaps you'll learn a thing or two - and be very cautious when next your put pen to paper with a particular agenda to push? AND use the ABC to assist in giving you this platform.

Maybe next you can pick on single parents? homophobia? refugee's? asylum seekers? bribe giving big business?...and the list goes on.

I think you've under-estimated the intelligence of many ABC readersout here. And over-estimated your own ability to put a succinct argument across on this forum?.

shaun1968:

08 Jan 2014 7:33:06pm

I am an Australian.

Born in Cottesloe, WA, I grew up in Wagaman and then Humpty Doo, Darwin, I lived in Cairns QLD, Sydney, Melbourne and presently live in Hobart.

My oldest daughter was born in Darwin, her mother is Chinese first generation Australian. My second daughter and my son were born in Germany and their mother is of German/Italian descent. My father is Dutch/Indonesian born in Bandung, Indonesia. My mother is English, born in London.

I have lived here on and off for 45 years and NEVER experienced racism of any kind.

My family integrated, they left their previous culture at the door and embraced the culture of the country that had given them a second opportunity.

Any assault is a tragedy regardless of the victims personal attributes. The first people of Australia are suffering and we need to do more to ensure they live better, fuller lives.

Racism is a problem in every country, including India renowned for its caste system. Wildly pointing at Australians and labelling us racists will not resolve the problem that you are indentifying and alleging exists here as a scourge.

Education is the key, both for the victim and the aggressor, as such the "racist Aussie's" you are trying to re-educate won't hear your rant unless you soften somewhat the condescending nature of your tone and look to make this a bilateral process - immigration and integration as opposed to immigration and ostracization.

Pete :

09 Jan 2014 12:53:50am

I"m finding the ad-nauseam arguments 'India is worse' a bit tiring. Of course racism/casteism is worse over there, and the Indian media's recent hysterical whip-up of violence in Australia did India an embarrassing disservice, but these things don't explain or excuse what happens here. What's less excusable though are media articles like this one that fail to put Australian racism in its proper context. Cherry picking extreme views off a website, the phony 'rampage of attacks on Indians' (with the dishonest, and uncorrected subtext of this being done by white Australians for racial reasons) are examples of authors being at best misleading, and at worst giving themselves a platform for victimhood. This article makes the spurious claims of savage, racist violence against Indians, then asks us all to be less racist. The first claim is invalid and as such is an poor and unnecessary argument for the second. Of course racism exists in Australia, but it's comparatively very mild and we'd be better off celebrating the thousands of ways different races live together successfully in Australia rather than beating up an issue that is, by and large, almost inconsequential. Doesn't mean we don't need to address the mild racism that does exist in Australia, but we should frame it with facts, not cherry-picked, uncontextualised, or incorrect examples. I'd rather read articles on more important issues like cultural norms and differences, tolerance (or well-argued intolerance) for aspects of different cultures and the vexed issue of moral relativity. These represent more signficant problems Australia will have to face than headline-grabbing claims of minor racism (the headline-grabbing aspect a peculiarity to Western nations alone in my experience, as the aftermath of the guilt and horrors of WW2).

Pete of WA:

08 Jan 2014 7:48:17pm

As almost everyone agrees that racism is to be abhorred, and I agree, weren't the majority of recent bashings of Indian students around Melbourne found to have been carried out either by other Indian students or, in one case, the victim himself? Alcohol fuelled violence is a fact of life in this country sadly and the courts do nowhere near enough to stamp it out but I don't think racism is a one way street and sadly, it comes from many directions but, as I said, it really needs to be stamped out fast but unless our politicians and the judiciary play their parts together, nothing will change.

Mitor the Bold:

09 Jan 2014 3:50:59am

Violence is tolerated in our society. If you beat someone up outside a pub you'll probably get a caution. If you're convicted it will be for affray or some minor thing that carries little punishment. If you get caught carrying a knife you will get much the same. However, if you get caught with some drugs you'll get far worse, and god forbid you should fail to declare some income for tax purposes - for that you will end up in jail.

I saw a movie recently where a man was tortured then watched while his family was tortured and killed. I think it was MA. I saw another movie, a comedy, that had some implied sex and a lot of swearing and it carried an R-rating. It seems it's OK for kids to watch sickening violence as entertainment, but please don't say the naughty word.

Few of us will hack someone apart with a meat cleaver yet you can enjoy a movie about that if you're 15; but although all of us will have sex we're not allowed to see it at all, and not even simulated sex until we're 18.

I'd rather read about people having sex and swearing at each other in Kings Cross than punching each other to death, wouldn't you? But that's not a good cultural fit, it seems. The problem is embedded very deeply.

M.S:

08 Jan 2014 8:03:04pm

Its good to see this kind of article, particularly the part that talks about the conditions in the Northern Territory.

I'm hoping this gets through the fog of how far we have left to go to actually call ourselves a multicultural, multiracial and in line with the values we espouse as a modern nation. A large number of the public still need to be introduced to the idea when they express an opinion they are talking about human beings and Australians, no matter their origins or citizenship status (the case of legal migrants). This has nothing to do with population like suggested in the comments, its just about our values. We can deal with the issues of population, over consumption and environmental degradation and other things that have nothing to do with racism outside of this.

I hope this gets through to people the experiences in this country of really doing it tough: taxpaying members of society who work and build our nation, born here or otherwise not recognised to be Australian. That's actually what's happening despite the politician 'white struggle' rhetoric.

dumont:

08 Jan 2014 8:06:21pm

" the big fish in the little pond syndrome ... immune to how the rest of the world is seeing things, which can be markedly different" Brilliant observation. I tend to call it the "Island mentality". In fact the rest of the world is a different planet, whose inhabitants are always plotting, always scheming, sending advanced scouts by the boatload to try and white-ant our planet from within with their extraterrestrial ideas...

Astroboy Sunny:

08 Jan 2014 8:44:28pm

I have lived here since 1990; and yes, you do get the occasional racist comments and once, a 'white' lade refused to sell me ice cream in her shop so my friend - 'white' Aussie got it for me. People are racists everywhere; even in India. I'd take a chill pill and avoid places where binge drinking is involved I.e. sporting events. What about the white Aussies who are also bashed on a night out? The whole world is racists, it's a sad fact but cest la vie! Once during Mardi GRAS in Sydney - a drunken male shouted 'look they even have gay Asians now on Oxford street' which I replied, ' what do you expect on Oxford Street, kangaroos?'. It is always easy to scream racism but really what percentage of Indians students are attacked? Australians are amongst some of the friendliest people around, try going to China!

Redfish:

08 Jan 2014 8:53:01pm

Yes Some Australians from all sorts of backgrounds could be called racist, but this is not unique to Australia, racism exists everywhere. I read one post which claimed racism was non-existent in Nordic countries, would like to see the actual evidence to back that claim. We do however need to keep the conversation going and should confront racism wherever we find it, regardless the background of the perpetrator/s.

NikMak:

08 Jan 2014 9:02:20pm

I find the tone of many of the comments on this article strange . There is a sort of defensiveness about them, like even the slightest talk of racism is taken as a sort of grievous insult. One discussion about racism needn't be a definitive discussion, needn't be faultless, and needn't have any answers. As long as we remain willing to talk about it, we as a society are headed in the right direction.

I think that is really half the problem when it comes to racism (in this country and every other) - nobody is willing to seriously, critically assess themselves, admit their faults and change. It's always somebody else's problem, too big to fix - not worth talking about. That's a cop out.

Like so many other things, racism would be a much smaller problem if we as human beings were willing to look internally first, and externally second.

Ross:

I'm just going to go ahead and post the definition of white privilege here because a lot people commentating on here are exhibiting white privilege in addition to other racist beahaviour traits...

"white privilege, a social relation

1. a. A right, advantage, or immunity granted to or enjoyed by white persons beyond the common advantage of all others; an exemption in many particular cases from certain burdens or liabilities. b. A special advantage or benefit of white persons; with reference to divine dispensations, natural advantages, gifts of fortune, genetic endowments, social relations, etc.

2. A privileged position; the possession of an advantage white persons enjoy over non?white persons.

3. a. The special right or immunity attaching to white persons as a social relation; prerogative. b. display of white privilege, a social expression of a white person or persons demanding to be treated as a member or members of the socially privileged class.

4. a. To invest white persons with a privilege or privileges; to grant to white persons a particular right or immunity; to benefit or favor specially white persons; to invest white persons with special honorable distinctions. b. To avail oneself of a privilege owing to one as a white person.

5. To authorize or license of white person or persons what is forbidden or wrong for non?whites; to justify, excuse.

6. To give to white persons special freedom or immunity from some liability or burden to which non?white persons are subject; to exempt."

Curious party:

09 Jan 2014 9:48:51am

I fail to see the relevance of this post. Firstly, that definition has to be about the most vague and useless definition that I have ever seen. (Of course it allows for anyone to make the claim of white privilege without having to really back up that someone is doing something wrong.)

Secondly, a lot of the things that you mention there apply to people of indigenous descent - particularly when you look at the specific positions that are created for them within the health and welfare sectors.

But most of all, I challenge you to point out where on this site people have been exhibiting white privilege. Then we can actually talk about it.

Carl:

08 Jan 2014 9:29:38pm

The attackers of Yadwinder Singh were a gang of mostly black Africans. This is set out in the first report on this incident in The Age on 30 Dec 2013 (see http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/brother-pleads-for-justice-over-melbourne-cbd-attack-20131230-302k3.html#ixzz2owECZ8aN). But the next report on 2 Jan 2014 was hijacked by political correctness, and the race of the attackers was left out, dishonestly leaving the impression that the attackers were white (when they weren't). And now this article in the Drum today is saying the same lie. So, enough of your talk about 'racism', I just don't want to hear it. 'Anti-racist' really means 'anti-white'.

Concerned:

08 Jan 2014 9:58:16pm

You accuse US in Australia of racism. What a freaking joke! I have been to India four times in my life and I certainly have seen there what, if not technically can be called racism, because after all you are all technically from the Indian subcontinent, certainly is an assault on the dignity and human rights of others. I am referring the abhorrent caste system that exists in that country. I have witnessed people who are street sweepers literally kicked out of the way, one assumes by people of a higher caste. So much of it in the north does seem to relate to the colour of one's skin as well. The darker skinned ones by far seem to make up the lower castes. Then there is that thing in all the marriage advertisements calling for a light skinned suitor, the skin whitening products for sale (one assumes lest you be discriminated against for your skin colour?). And the restaurants that seem to only cater for brahmins. And other places where so- called untouchables are unable to enter. Do you know what it reminded me of - the apartheid system in South Africa!

Toto:

08 Jan 2014 10:06:26pm

Discrimination is common in the human society but we must try to avoid it. That based on the race happens on the Indian and the aborigines, but the interesting thing is that the white and Asian were the people moved into Australia. Now they become the owner, cannot admit another people of another race. And because of the pressure from society, we try to accept and default the way in which others treat the foreign. We must say ?NO?. But fortunately friends from Australia of mine are very friendly.

Ravi Prasad:

reaver:

08 Jan 2014 10:12:57pm

I read through it twice and seem to have missed in your article, Chris, the information on who's committing the vast, vast majority of the crimes against Indigenous Australians, you know the bashings, stabbings, break-ins, broken arms, black eyes, etc that you wrote about. Surely you didn't exclude on purpose the fact that most of the crimes inflicted upon Indigenous Australians are committed by other Indigenous Australians, did you? Actually I suspect that you did given that you preceded it with "the First Australians whose land we live on" and included them in a list of things like the Basic Card, deaths in custody and court room dramas which are imposed on people from without. Indigenous Australians don't own the land that we live on any more than I own France, Ireland, Scotland, Denmark or any of the other countries that my ancestors lived in nor are most of the problems that you list caused by the rest of us. While we're on the subject why are royalty payments on your list of "other things that were not quite right"? Unlike other Australians they get paid handsomely when resources are extracted from their land.I understand that reading and writing in a language not your own might be a problem for people, but counting? How does English not being their first language stop them counting dots on a pair of dice? Counting doesn't rely on the knowledge of any one particular language. You still get the same number no matter what language or number system you're counting in.

Dove:

09 Jan 2014 9:56:51am

Happy New Year, reaver. Wouldn't the majority of indigenous crime inflicted upon indigenous people by other indigenous folk be simply because they lived next door? That wouldn't qualify as a racist attack, just a bog stand criminal one. I agree in the reality of the land-we-live-on argument, but I've never seen it as a literal statement of ownership. I'd have thought that it was a non-binding statement around cultural acceptance, recognition that's been lacking in the past and an aspiration for the future. If it's only touchy-feely, that's still a vast improvement. If it helps develop attitudes, all the better.

reaver:

09 Jan 2014 10:50:03am

Happy New Year to you too. That's my point, Dove. The examples of incidents that he listed aren't racially motivated, they're just things like opportunistic crimes and run of the mill interpersonal conflicts. Raja's written an article about racism and filled it with examples that have nothing to do with racism, backing up his grand racism theory with a single post from a single racist loser. If you think that the people who say that Australia is owned by Indigenous Australians are saying it as a non-binding statement around cultural acceptance rather than as a literal statement of ownership then you should probably get out more or if you don't want to talk to these people (Which would be a good choice on your part if you're white. They won't make you feel welcome.) then just read their theories on sites like Treaty Republic. They mean it quite literally.

VoR:

08 Jan 2014 10:14:20pm

This article doesn't really function as a coherent whole. It's a mish-mash of conflated issues and glaring contradictions.

For your family in Australia : "I saw it take its toll on my parents: the new ways, the aggression, the occasional put down." Immigrating is hard. There isn't any country in the world you could have moved to where you wouldn't have experienced all that, including large parts of India. In fact, in the complete absence of racism you'd still experience a lot of it. I know racism was part of it but you could have written a whole article about the difficulties of immigration, including issues around assimilation, without mentioning racism. I guess what I'm saying is try not to conflate the two.

We have "I moved to Alice Springs in 2004 when I was 28. I noticed the place was different." Then we have "This place is a microcosm of Australia." Which is it? The first I think. There are very particular issues around Aboriginal/White interaction, including segregation, in Alice Springs. Or as you note about yourself, Aboriginal/non-Aboriginal interaction.

You haven't shown any evidence that people are denying that racism exists in Alice Springs, only evidence that they attribute most of the things that "aren't quite right" to specific other causes. Neither have you shown any evidence they aren't correct.

You haven't shown any evidence the attack on the Indian student was racially motivated. But assuming it was, you've omitted to mention that all eight attackers were African. If the race of the victim matters, then surely the race of the attacker matters.

Also in an article that says "Silence only drives the issue underground", how could you stay so completely silent that the racism in the attack that prompted the article is between different immigrant groups, not racism from "born and breds" towards immigrants?

Racism exists, it isn't denied, however it isn't always the cause of every race/nationality problem issue either. It is also addressed in a number of ways : legislation, schooling, current affairs ...

You won't ever lose the conflicted feelings about immigration but hopefully you won't sink into negativity.

Schuey:

08 Jan 2014 11:07:16pm

Having just returned from a decade living in London, staying with my 70yo stepdad in Perth who is old school caucasian I have definitely noticed casual racism and more overt stuff like calling Indians 'itchy bums' to me in private. I even disgust my self and play along, old habits returning. AustraliA has a big casual racism problem.

I don't even notice race anymore London is such a melting pot as are parts of the big cities in Australia.

Racism In Australia is a big problem. Indians cop it the worst from what I can telll as they more visibly take the lower end jobs. Mind you a lot of Indians think we are undeducated oafs so it is reciprocated to some degree.

Jose:

08 Jan 2014 11:16:21pm

Way too much of PC behaviour going on here.I'm first generation and put up with being called all sorts of names. This is not racist, so please get your facts straight. A man with red hair might be called Bluey; it's just the way it is.The sooner people can understand this and move on, the sooner the wider public will have a greater understanding of the real issues out there.Bashing are not ok in any way, shape or form.All you new migrants out there - please just try to 'fit in'. Dont take that cash job paying $5 per hour and then blame this on the employer exploiting you. Don't wear your traditional clothes - nobody else does and it just makes you look special. Australians don't like 'special'. Do things by the book and you will be welcomed with open arms.

Aven:

09 Jan 2014 10:24:58am

All you new migrants out there - please just try to 'fit in'. Dont take that cash job paying $5 per hour and then blame this on the employer exploiting you. Don't wear your traditional clothes - nobody else does and it just makes you look special. Australians don't like 'special'. Do things by the book and you will be welcomed with open arms.

Thanks, this exemplifies exactly what is wrong with Australians' expectations of others. Australia is a free country! As long as you are free to be like us, not yourself.I arrived here as a 10 year old. After the harassment and discrimination for my fellow Aussies I refused to 'fit in' - they were callous bullies, why should I aspire to be like them???

I'm an Australian citizen and I do my bit for Australia which I think is a great country to live in (that could be so much better). But I don't drink beer, watch the cricket or the football or have BBQs or go to the beach or do so many of the cultural Aussie things. It does not make me any less Australian than the people who believe they are somehow special because they were born here.

David Collins:

09 Jan 2014 12:18:24am

Yes racism and alcohol fueled violence are problems in Australia and we should be legislating laws to ensure that perpetrators are given tough sentences. However, Australia is no different than most other countries and certainly no worse than India which has a whole society built on a caste system which discriminates against people based on their skin colour and which has a history of horrific crimes involving violence against women and honour killings. At some point Aboriginal people need to make the choice to send their children to school and rebuild their broken society. Blaming racism for neglecting your children (not providing food, clean clothes and sanitation etc) is part of a victim mentality that continues the cycle of poverty and substance abuse. Yes they come from a disadvantaged background but Aboriginal people are more than compensated for through generous welfare schemes, training and employment positions secured for Aboriginal applicants and targeted education support. Maybe you should talk to some Aboriginal people who work in education and ask them what they think about Aboriginal children who come to school with empty bellies, no food, clothes that don't fit and go home to parents who spend their income on alcohol and cigarettes and do nothing to protect their children from abuse at the hands of other intoxicated adults. We have plenty of problems in Australia. Rascism is one... but attempting to link the bashing of an Indian man to race relations in Alice Springs is simplistic.

A.E:

09 Jan 2014 1:12:51am

With no doubt, racism is a tricky issue for people to fight against around world. In the modern society, equality is consider to be one critical value for human being to pursue. A community that respects everyone's dignity and freedom, provides them with justice and equality might be some way a ultimate form.When we just focus on the action that foreigners are treated differently, not the prejudice of a certain race. Actually, we may find something else. With the globalization going on, people's activities across the border appear with higher frequency. When people enter another country, they can sense in some ways that they don't belong in that society. In other words, they cannot fit in. That may be because the culture differences like they and local people receive totally different kinds of education, or something like that. This could cause local people to treat foreigners differently when foreigners act like outsiders. Problems may meet in real estate agencies are normal, because some landlords just refuse to accept foreigners. They may feel that the communications cannot work because people from other countries can have difficulties to deal with all kinds of procedures. Again, it is a culture thing.

Jo:

09 Jan 2014 3:57:32am

When I was growing up in the 50's, myself, brothers and parents, were the butt of many racist attacks. They were not jokes, but more physical attacks. I was a young girl of 5 and was constantly attacked with rocks as I came home from school. My parents were Italian in origin, but my father worked extremely hard and long hours in the mines in the north of Western Australia. Not too many English or Australians ever ventured up into the mines. They used people from Europe because they were the only ones who worked in these hard places!! Not one person in government ever helped them with support, yet people now can come to this country and get given everything and don't have to work for it.Saying this, no one should be put through racism. Australians are renowned for being racist.

Mitor the Bold:

09 Jan 2014 4:04:44am

Racism is a human thing, not an Australian thing. Racism, sexism, homophobia, religious hatred, mods vs rockers - it's all tribal. We've evolved to treat 'difference' as threatening - it's part of our success as a species. Even the most PC among us would cross the road if a group of men from another tribe were coming in the other direction. We all hate racial profiling, in theory, while practicing it ourselves all the time unconsciously.

We have to learn to suppress our instincts - most of us do this regularly. Those with poor educations and poor impulse control (strong correlation between those two) not so much.

Our socialisation has to be supported from our leaders and it has to form part of our culture. Being told daily that men with brown skin on boats are illegal does not help this. Seeing atrocities perpetrated in the name of Islam does not help either. We fight wars against these people in foreign lands - is it any wonder we also fight them in the streets, just like in the MA movies we watch as testosterone-filled teenagers?

Hand-wringing hasn't worked so far - I can't see it starting to work now. Sentimentality is not a strategy, it's an admission of defeat.

thenewboilermakerbill:

09 Jan 2014 6:04:38am

Can someone please give a working definition of racism because i have never seen one that i can use to determine if something is racist or not. There is certainly no consistent legal one so perhaps we need one we all agree on.

get real:

09 Jan 2014 6:28:43am

Hi respect Chris,Have a look at the big picture-the mega racisism demonstrated by Indians against Australians. Professional journalism iI always though included a responsibility for Fair and objective reporting. Sadly the ABC usually fails miserably on this criteria. Your piece is another example. I expect this response, critical of the ABC will be not published by the ABC master!GR

Redfish:

09 Jan 2014 9:47:33am

Perhaps you could back that statement up with some actual evidence, no one denies the white Australia policy was wrong and has since well and truly corrected. Suggest a little overseas travel and then come back and tell me Australia is the most racist country in the world, I think not!

Herb:

09 Jan 2014 7:43:01am

Get over it, discrimination has been around as long as history has been recorded and will not go away. From my experience it is the people who have the preconceived idea they are discriminated against that have the problem the rest just fit in without notice.

D:

09 Jan 2014 8:10:38am

Some of the most blatantly racist attitudes (not to mention homophobic) I have heard have come from indigenous Australians and were about Africans and African culture. I was shocked by the levels of denial regarding indigenous Australian's long term heritage, many of them seriously believe that they are special and not connected to the rest of the human family tree. When you point out that they are also descended from African people you face a stream of vitriolic abuse and claims of indigenous Australians cultural superiority over Africans. That is pure racism of the sort you'd expect from a neo-nazi.

From this I have concluded that racism is just a subset of ignorance and it has no colour attached to it. So if you are going to point fingers, Chris, make sure you point in all directions and not just in the directions favoured by your own prejudice.

Propy:

Theos:

09 Jan 2014 9:02:40am

The root cause of this problem is humans evolved tendency to act tribally. Tribalism provided a powerful tool helping the survival of early humans, but sadly is responsible for the large majority of the world's problems. Most conflict in the world today is due to one (or more) of:

* those living in my geographical area v those living in another geographical area* those holding my religious opinions v those holding other religious opinions* those of my ethnic group v those of some other ethnic group* those of my race v those of another race

The solution is (in theory) quite simple. It involves each of us individually to use our intelligence to consciously disregard our innate tribalistic thinking. Let me quickly add that I am arguing for the homogenisation of cultures. It is the elimination of negative attitudes towards other groups that is needed.

Reinhard:

09 Jan 2014 9:28:32am

Yes indeed Chris we must recognise racism, but more importantly we must not point the finger of blame at the wrong group of people. Just like the attack on Manrajwinder Singh by a gang known as "KYR" (kill your rivals) most attacks on Indian students were in fact perpetrated by other ethnic groups, not by white anglo saxon Australians. One case even turned out to be an attempted insurance fraud.

Dove:

09 Jan 2014 9:32:59am

Human society is prone to racism. This seems to diminish with education and affluence although one could only guess at causation or correlation. The world is a hotbed of racism and in some places people even kill because of it.

Australia may well be the least racist country in the world. The example of multireligious, multicultural, multiracist and multilanguage society is equalled by some, exceeded by none.

But that's still nothing to get exited over. We shouldn't use the Congo or Burma as our yardstick. Just because someone else is worse doesn't make good the middle ground. We should be striving to stamp it out with the same vigour that we're applying to stamp out bullying. Perhaps more It does exist in Australia and you'd have to be an ostrich not to have noticed.

As a side note, anyone can be racist toward anyone. There's no such thing as reverse racism. Just racism. And just because it eminates from a group other than yours and just becuase it's directed toward a group other than yours is not reason to stand idly by.

Given most of the writers here are late middle aged white men, spare a notion that when racism comes from a dominant culture and is directed towards a minority culture the effects are greatly magnified. It doesn't mean WASPs are more guilty- far from it. It just means people need to be more less tolorant of racism in all its forms and be watchful that it can exist without intent.

Bahbet:

Steve_C:

09 Jan 2014 10:55:33am

"Human society is prone to racism."

Actually Dove; human society is prone to fear, because human individuals have fears of all sorts.

In a historical context, Australia used to a country that feared it's isolation more than it did it's own citizenry. Many Aussies used to go on long trips away from a home they left unlocked, knowing that their neighbours would 'keep an eye on things' because that's what you did for each other. Not any more!!

As a Nation, we've lost something that was considered 'naive' by those from countries that figured themselves more "mature" than us... namely the trust we used to have in each other.

The more we've become concerned about what other Nations think of us, the more we've lost faith in the things that differentiated us from the rest of the World in a positive way, simply because we've had so many self styled 'gurus' who reckon they know better on such matters telling us that we ought to cringe at our "Antipodean naivety".

If the sort of "Worldly sophistication" those knockers from within hoped we'd aim for rather than the "naive hickdom" they were ashamed of, is the insular, self-absorbed and self-centred, egotistical mess we're creating for ourselves now, then we're ALL; regardless of colour, creed, gender, age, political affiliation or style of life, heading for a dip in the pooh cack.

Steve_C:

09 Jan 2014 10:29:29am

What's become of Australia?

Once upon a time, the xenophobia and myopia of today was something to be mocked as exactly what it was... namely; the inability to demonstrate the kind of assuredness that someone who is comfortable with themselves and who they are, ought to be demonstrating.

While it's all well and good to identify the attitudes of 'foreigners' as having overwhelmed the Aussie values of "a fair go for all" and "giving a mate, regardless of what he/she/it earns, or wears, or worships or eats or drinks or what-bloody-ever a hand", it's patently clear that it's the lethargy and lack of conviction by those Aussies who should have been more intent upon preserving those ideals, communal values and sense of fraternity for all who didn't mind calling "Australia home".

Instead of that, we've allowed our Nation to become infested from within by the sort of festering malaise that our forebears didn't want to infest let alone become entrenched, within the Australian psyche.

The laconic, easy going, "don't bust a boiler mate" typical Aussie of yesteryear would be rolling in his grave at the mere suggestion that Australians of today could be such across the board 'A-holes'.

wotbot:

09 Jan 2014 11:07:00am

I cringe when racism is discussed - we don't get it - we don't understand that we white Australians are saturated to our core racists - we are not like other countries in how we demonstrate it.I am from far north Queensland and my family are loving hard working aussies who are sick of having to watch their words when I am around (I missed some of the conditioning somehow)"that lady down the street is so nice from Thursday Island isn't it lovely how she keeps her house so clean - it shows that those people can do it if they weren't so lazy - but remember she is married to a white man and isn't living with those people any more""did you hear the one about the porch monkey ..""lets go into another shop there are too many of them in this one - the smell is overwhelming" (I was standing beside the person who said this and could not smell a thing)"look at that one - those people really sweat""its good that the girls are so blond and fair, they will be able to pass themselves off as normal when they leave home and no one need ever know that they have aboriginal blood"Yet the same people have stopped the car at night to ask a young aboriginal walking along a road if they were ok and gave them a lift homeThe girls they are talking about are much loved granddaughters and the son in law is welcomed as a part of the family (but he does have a job!)when a neighbour came to the door asking for help it was giventhey have employed aboriginal workers and volunteersthose people are usSo never stop shining a light -

graazt:

09 Jan 2014 11:09:16am

Thanks for the article Chris.

There'll always be racism. It's instinctive to stereotype individuals based on their cultural backgrounds and those instincts have evolved for a reason. You're no more going to end racism than you're going to end people's capacity for fear, hatred, intolerance and abstraction/generalisation (all useful things btw).

Celebrating rather than castigating difference can help. As can having a sense of humour. Generally aiming to keep the gini-cofficient low and the middle-class big will also assist ie: making sure there's not too many disenfranchised people struggling at the edges. Of course the passage of time, assuming a degree of assimilation (both to, and from the dominant culture) will also help.

However it's problematic to assume that all cultures, or rather, cultural practices are equally civilised. And a tolerant society must be intolerant to intolerance to a degree.

Whether that be human sacrifice, or the attitude that many Salafis have on the role of women.

Propy:

09 Jan 2014 12:03:29pm

I like how Mr Raja is keen to get on his high horse and condemn Australia as a racist country in denial. Perhaps he would be more comfortable returning to his home land where 400 million people live below the poverty line, people are born into castes dooming them to be discriminated against for life, skin whitening cream is hugely popular, and hundreds of millions is spent on a space program when it might be better spent cleaning up the Ganges river, filled with raw sewage, rubbish and bloated corpses, while at the same time serving as a main source of drinking water.

Free trade is the oldest argument in federal politics and the issue that literally defined the federation era but opposition exists to the TPP, courtesy of the Investor-State Dispute Resolutions clause.